Ranma: Xero
by ContraBardus
Summary: Twenty Years before the beginning. Something happens that will change the face of the future.
1. Default Chapter Title

  
  
Ranma Xero.  
  
Prolouge.  
  
Twenty years ago...  
  
  
  
"Riker pull up damn it!" screamed the voice over the com. The gruff looking man stared out over the sea of stars and simply glared at the massive cruiser that moved slowly over his head. The sounds of explosions ripped through the gasses that the bulky cruiser emitted as it passed.   
  
He jammed the stick down sending his fighter into a downward spiral as he passed by the rear engines of the starship letting loose a barrage of energy from his front mounted cannons that seemed to merely scorch the surface. His spin sent him harmlessly between the two massive jets of plasma that propelled the cruiser through space. Riker switched off the comlink with an annoyed grunt.  
  
"Yo boss, HQ is screaming for us to pull back. There ain't nothing more we can do," said a familiar voice as one of his wingmen pulled up behind him.  
  
"These bastards are heading straight for our hometowns on earth; you really think I'm going to pull back just because our cannons don't do more than dent this thing? I'll find a way," retorted the man angrily.  
  
Five more ships pulled up beside him from various points in space. They were all the same type of fighter, a light brown color with long noses, a short wingspan, and four laser cannons jutting from the nose. The cannons varied in size and several missiles rested on the underside of each vessel. Markings indicating they were a part of the planetary defense force adorned the portions of the ships that were not scoured with damage.  
  
The battleship itself was huge, easily a hundred times the size of the ships that circled around it. Humanoid robots almost twice the size of the Earthian ships zoomed through space picking off the ships not fast enough to obey the evacuation order.  
  
Silence filled the airwaves with the occasional scream for help or last cry of life before another human pilot ended his career in a flaming ball of glory. "I'm going back in."  
  
"With you all the way boss!" agreed the wingman. None of the others responded, their feelings were clear enough.  
  
  
The five ships tore through space with surprising speed as all of the afterburners roared to life. Riker's ship was in the lead as he spun and weaved through laser blasts and enemy mechs. His cannons roared with an almost continuous blast as he tore through the hectic battle. Most of the ships were limping in the opposite direction. However the heroic charge had picked up three other ships by the time the reached the battle cruiser again.  
  
  
They roared down the side blasting at laser turrets and cannons as they streaked down the side of the massive ship. Riker could hear the screams of his men through the communications interface as they died bravely at his side, covering each other from fire. "I'll get you bastards!" he screamed as he pulled away as he finished his attack run.  
  
Three ships remained, small explosions could be seen down the side of the cruiser from the damage they group had created along the ship's hull. "That was one hell of a hit," commented one of the two remaining wingmen.  
  
"But not good enough, if that payload reaches the planet we're done for," said Riker with a heavy sigh. He steeled himself and looked at his display. "I've still got enough missiles for another run. How are you two doing?"  
  
"Fresh out boss, I've still got my frontside blaster though," said the ship to his right. He had a heavy Texan accent.  
  
"Still green on half my payload," said the other man with a dissatisfied grunt. "I ain't going back until I unload it all."  
  
Riker glared at the ship with a burning hatred in his eyes. The plasma ports were facing them directly and he could feel his teeth begin to grind unconsciously. "Don't bother, just cover me." He reached down and flicked several switches before entering a code on a keypad that rested just below the canopy. The interior of the ship began to flash red and he breathed in and out in slow controlled motions. "Let's go."  
  
  
The ships charged forward again moving through enemy fire easily. Almost the whole attack force was alerted to them now as most of the human ships had retreated or been destroyed. The three men plowed through them relentlessly taking heavy damage to their ships. The Texan screamed as his run was ended in a ball of fire. Riker didn't even give the man a passing glance as he bore down on the cruiser. He simply shot forward pushing his engines to their maximum. Red lights and heat sirens flashed around him in warning and a yellow circular symbol flashed on his main screen. "Danger, core overheating," chimed the computerized voice.  
  
"Boss, what the hell are you doing?" screamed his remaining wingman as he pulled away as they neared the star cruiser's engine ports.   
  
The computerized voice of the ship's computer began to count down inside Riker's ship. "Five...four...three..."  
  
"Take this you sons of bitches!" screamed Riker as he slammed into the rear of the ship. A massive nuclear explosion shattered both of the engine ports sending the gigantic ship into a slow spin in space.   
  
The wingman shot forward just ahead of the blast at a speed that slammed him into his seat. His own warning lights blared around him as he struggled to control the ship as he rocketed towards the space station. He finally managed to regain control and spared a glance back at the sparking remains of the space cruiser. A majority of the ship still survived, but it was now a sitting duck in space. A dark smile crossed his lips as he realized that it was still moving slightly. "Way to go boss." He turned his attention back to piloting his starship home.  
  
  
  
"What is going on here!" screamed the older looking man on the bridge of the starship known as the destroyer. He had a long white beard and a light blue skin color like everyone else on board the ship.  
  
"Admiral, our engines have been destroyed; we are without power on eighty percent of our systems. In short, we have lost," said the taller man who stood next to him.   
  
"Impossible!" screamed the man in rage.  
  
One of the female officers turned from her console with a shocked look on her face. "Sir, we are being pulled into the planet's gravitational system."  
  
"What?! Take evasive action!" screamed the old man in a rage. "Get us the hell out of here!"  
  
"We cannot, there are no engines," said the tall man with a strangely calm look about him.   
  
"Oh god! The emergency systems are down! There's no way to escape, all the pods are shorted out!" screamed another man from his seat nearby. The bridge quickly went into a panic and the Admiral merely stood from his seat and watched as the screen began to take a slightly red glow.  
  
"Send a distress signal! Ask them for help, I cannot allow all of these people to die!" screamed the old man in desperation.  
  
"It has already been done," said the tall man with a slight smirk. "I believe the return message was...'Burn'."  
  
The old man hung his head and stared down at the console in front of him. "Damn them."  
  
"Apparently they have not forgotten what we did to their colonies on Mars sir."  
  
  
  
Kimiko stood on the remains of Mt. Fuji and smirked. The side of the mountain had a huge gash in it where the enemy battle cruiser had crash landed. Pieces of the doomed ship littered the landscape of Japan for miles around the sight. Fortunately for her team, several almost completely intact mechs had been recovered for study. With these machines Earth's technology would grow in leaps and bounds in just a few short months. Robotic technology alone would be enough to give them the edge they had lost in the last confrontation with the alien menace. Now where they were desperately lacking, they had an edge where they could fight back again.  
  
"Kimiko, come and look at this!" screamed her husband as he pushed back the heavy fur hood of his coat. His long dark hair flowed behind him as he turned to look at her with an excited look in his eyes. She noticed his friend step back with a look of terror in his eyes.   
  
"My god! What is it?"  
  
She paused when she neared the crater they were standing over. Buried halfway in the ground was a completely intact mech. It was black and red with an almost demonic appearance about it. The seams of its body were smooth, and it had an almost sleek appearance about it. Two black metallic wing protrusions rose from its shoulders and a blade like horn rose from the forehead. It's head almost looked like Samurai armor with two red eyes that remained dull as they stared out into space.   
  
"What is this?" she gasped out loud. She turned to face the team of scientist she had brought with her. "Get over here! Now!"  
  
"An ill omen," said her husband's friend.  
  
"Quite so Saotome," agreed her husband.  
  
TBC...  



	2. Default Chapter Title

  
Ranma Xero.  
  
Part one.  
  
The Engagement.  
  
  
"Tendo, bringing Ranma from China. Saotome."   
  
Soun Tendo allowed the tears to flow freely down his face as he flipped the postcard over in his hands a few times, as if he was making sure it was real. "Oh how I've waited for this day!" He leaned back in his high-backed chair and placed the card carefully on the large expensive desk he was sitting behind. His office was large and well lit. The window overlooked the city of Tokyo a few miles in the distance from a very high distance up. He stood and looked out over the ocean in the distance with a contented smile on his face. "To think I could feel such joy in these dark times."   
  
He waited a few moments for the feeling to sink in as the sun began to vanish below the horizon. Slowly he walked calmly to his desk and pressed a button on a small console near the edge. "Summon my daughters to my office. I have something I need to tell them."  
  
"Yes sir," said the pleasant female voice on the other side.   
  
He disconnected the line and walked over to the wet bar that took up the entire north wall of the office. "Perhaps this is what I need at the moment. Humanity needs a hope for the future. Such a union may be just what my children need in their lives."  
  
  
"Akane! Where the hell is she now?" said Nabiki Tendo as she jogged around the corner at a lazy pace.  
  
"Come now Nabiki, we both know where she is," said the girl's elder sister as she pleasantly kept up her pace. Both girls were dressed in tight fitting spandex uniforms. The clothes were a pattern of black and bright orange on Nabiki and a light purple color on her elder sister.  
  
"All the way on the other side of the complex?" said the girl with a slight sigh.  
  
"Of course! She does spend most of her time there these days. I wonder if it's because she's fallen in love with one of the mechanics? Father would be so disappointed."  
  
Nabiki turned down yet another well-lit hallway towards her destination and rolled her eyes. The thought of her little sister falling for one of those grunting Neanderthal morons was a bit of a stretch, even for her. "Somehow I don't think that's it. Come on, there's a com-port near here." The girl rushed around a corner nearly knocking over several men who were moving through the hall with arms full of papers and documents. Most of them were wearing uniforms like theirs, but with small metal pins placed on the collars signifying ranks.   
  
After a few more seconds of rushing around the girls came to a screen on the wall with several pads of keys mounted next to it. Nabiki lazily punched in a code and waited for a screen to appear with her younger sister's face in it.  
  
  
Akane Tendo stood before her opponent on the large display in front of her and grit her teeth in anger. "Come on! Stop playing around!"  
  
"Now Akane dear, lets not get hostile," said a cheerfully annoying voice from the speakers mounted over her head. "Just because I'm clearly the better pilot is no reason to become indignant!"  
  
Akane clenched her fists inside the large cylinders her arms were encased in and shifted the muscles in anticipation. In response to her actions she felt the frame around her shift.  
  
  
The gigantic red mech shifted into a ready position. It had a sleek build and a humanoid appearance about it. A few antenna jut from the top of it's head and a single lens like eye stared forward adjusting every few moments or so. "Come on! I warned you about goofing off this way!" screamed the female voice from the speakers hidden inside the torso of the unit.  
  
Standing opposite it was a large black mecha of similar build. It raised its arms up revealing two oversized forearms with a single slit mounted just over the hands. A cruel laughter screamed across the air amplified a hundred times by the loudspeakers. "Foolish girl! You know you cannot defeat me!"  
  
"Just watch me!" screamed the pilot of the red unit as it charged forward. It's arm shot forward in a punch that narrowly missed as the black unit flipped over its head and waved its arms as it passed.  
  
Akane shook violently inside the cockpit as the shielding around her absorbed most of the damage. She spun around and growled angrily. "Hey! This is supposed to be hand to hand you cheater!"  
  
"How brutish! My ribbons are a part of my hands foolish girl!" chimed the black unit as she slowly circled her hands. On the end of each wrist a long metallic strip spun gracefully in the air. She snapped her hands to a stop and the strips reeled themselves back inside the unit's wrists.   
  
The red unit put it's hands back up and seemed to glare forward as it took up an offensive posture. "Fine! If that's how you want to play it!" The pilot raised her hand up in front of her face and clenched the robot's fist. An aura of red energy formed there for a moment. She screamed and charged forward slashing her hand downward at the black unit forcing it into the air. The ground where the defensive unit had been standing erupted in flames and sent a spray of earth flying in every direction.   
  
The red unit slowly stood back to its feet and turned back to face its opponent as she landed a fair distance away. A short flaming blade of energy, about the same length as the forearm on the unit, was coming out of the wrist. The fist could be seen inside the energy opening and closing in anticipation.  
  
"It's time we ended this!" cried the pilot of the back unit as she charged forward slashing the deadly ribbons forward.  
  
The red unit blocked with its forearm. The thin metal strips slammed into the block and sent a shower of sparks into the air. Akane Tendo growled in an almost feral state as she prepared her strike. The black unit was descending from above her. She cocked her arm back with the energy blade ready to strike.  
  
"Akane! Where the hell are you!"  
  
The red robot stalled for a moment. The black unit slammed into her from above knocking her down. With a single precise slash the unit severed the head of the robot below her and stood up on top of her with her hands raised in victory.  
  
Akane Tendo stared in disbelief as the screen in front of her went white. The door opened behind her and she staggered out of what appeared to be a mock up of the torso on the unit she was piloting moments before. Nearby a few other similar units appeared. With one that looked like the black unit she had been fighting. "Wh...what just happened?"  
  
"There you are!" screamed Nabiki with an annoyed look on her face.  
  
"Damn it Nabiki! This had better be damn good!" screamed the younger girl in a rage as she shoved her hair over her shoulder and walked over to her. She stopped at a nearby bin and took out a clean towel throwing it over her shoulder.   
  
"Do you really think I'd have come down to jock central on my own?" snorted the older girl in disgust.   
  
Akane dried her forehead off and sat down on a bench nearby. She grabbed a bottled water from where she had placed it before the exercise. "It couldn't have waited. I had her this time damn it!" snapped the girl bitterly.   
  
"I told you to wait Nabiki," scolded Kasumi without much force in her voice.  
  
Nabiki blinked and rolled her eyes in disgust. "What the hell do I care about that. Come on we've got..."  
  
"Akane Tendo, that was not one of our better exercises. Tell me what distracted you?" said a haughty voice from behind the three Tendo siblings.  
  
"Nabiki paged me over the emergency line in the middle of the fight. I hesitated when I shouldn't have..." Akane glared at her sister and frowned.  
  
"Hello Kodachi," said Kasumi cheerfully at the girl who walked over to the group.  
  
"Ho ho ho ho! It seems your sister is easily distracted. She'll never be a real pilot if she keeps this up." The girl flipped her ponytail back arrogantly and smiled. "If you had enough control to ignore that distraction you might have gained my respect." The girl standing beside them was dressed in an all black uniform with a dark purple rose embroidered just above her right breast.  
  
"Shut up! I would have won if not for that!" snapped Akane girl angrily. Her uniform was red and black, and her long hair was braided behind her.  
  
"And had such a distraction occurred in a real battle?" said Kodachi with a sudden serious demeanor about her.  
  
"I would have died," agreed Akane as she slowly nodded her head.  
  
"See that you remember this lesson; I do not wish to see you fall the next time we are forced to go out Tendo," said the other girl as she turned away and left them to their business.  
  
"So what the hell is it anyway?" snapped Akane indignantly.  
  
Nabiki just smiled.  
  
  
  
"Fiancee?" said all three girls in unison.  
  
"Yes, he's the son of a very good friend of mine. He should be here any day now," said Soun sagely.  
  
"Is he cute?" asked Nabiki without a single thought.  
  
"How old is he? Younger men boor me," commented Kasumi.  
  
"Humph, boys," grumbled Akane.  
  
"I don't know, I've never met him," replied Soun honestly.  
  
"You're letting someone in here that you've never met?" said Akane in shock.   
  
"Akane, Genma Saotome is an old friend and very trustworty. He helped found this organization, if it was not for his wish that his son be trained in the arts he would be my second in command at this very time. Please show some respect."  
  
The girls fell silent at this proclamation and merely settled and watching their father uncomfortably. "Please understand, we promised when we were very young that we would unite our two schools of martial arts together. It was a foolish youthful promise from better times I know, but it still holds my word of honor."  
  
  
  
"I said no! Honestly! Picking my fiancee for me, without even asking!" cried Ranma as she tossed the bulky form of a giant panda over her shoulder.  
  
"Stop arguing boy! I told you it's our family's honor at stake!" said the animal's sign.  
  
Ranma growled and glared at the animal for a moment before calming. "I'm going back to China. Suck on that old man." She turned away flipping her pigtail over her shoulder as she went.   
  
Genma rose up and hit her over the head with a street sign.  
  
  
  
Soun looked at the security guard on the screen and frowned. "I beg your pardon?"  
  
"I said there is a young girl and a giant panda here to see you sir," said the man with his blush increasing with each moment.  
  
"You stupid old freak! I ain't marrying anybody!" said a voice from off screen. Several growls followed.  
  
"What should I do with them sir? I thought that I should take this up with you personally. I apologize for intruding on your business, but this was just too strange."  
  
"I agree, Tell me, who is this young girl?" said Soun as he raised his eyebrow slightly.  
  
"She says her name is Saotome sir. The panda agrees," said the security guard.  
  
"Saotome! Send her up at once! My old friend never told me he had a daughter as well!" He paused for a moment and looked at the screen. "Excuse me, did you just say that the panda agrees with her?"  
  
"Um, yesir."  
  
"I see..."  
  
  
  
Moments later the Tendo family sat around a large table in a meeting room. Ranma and the panda sat opposite them with tea set out for the girl. She played with her pigtail nervously and eyed the group cautiously.   
  
Nabiki Tendo smirked as she sat across from the young redhead and her strange animal with her sisters sitting around her. "So, how old is your brother?"  
  
"Brother? I ain't got no brother," said the girl in confusion.  
  
"Uh Daddy, I think we have a little problem here," said the middle Tendo as she turned to find her father passed out on the ground.  
  
  
  
"This is all your fault daddy, some fiancee this is!" snapped Nabiki with a hint of amusement in her voice.  
  
"I assumed my old friend Genma's son was a boy!" snapped the man in retort.  
  
"Son! Say something!" said the panda's sign as it hit the redhead on top of her head.  
  
"Nu-uh old man, this is your mess, you clean it up."  
  
Akane glared at her sister as she pointed at the girl across the table. "Does this look like a girl to you daddy?"  
  
"Oh my," said Kasumi sweetly.  
  
The youngest sister jumped up and glared at her family. "I can't believe you! He-she is our guest!" She turned to face the girl and smiled. "My name is Akane, do you want to be friends?"  
  
"Uh sure," said Ranma with a sudden blush appearing on her face.  
  
  
  
Akane led Ranma on a tour of the building. It was a twenty story tall complex with the top seven floors used as offices and apartments. After about ten minutes she took the girl to the twelfth floor.   
  
"This is our training center! Neat huh?" Akane spun around with a smile on her face as she showed the young girl the room. It was full of exercise machines and weights. What caught Ranma's attention was the dojo style corner of the room. A twenty by forty foot area of the floor had been set aside for martial arts training. A few punching bags and training dummies were spread out in the area. A small wooden sign hung from the wall with the words 'Tendo Dojo' on it.  
  
"Wow," said Ranma. She was impressed to say the least.  
  
"How about a little match? I promise I won't hurt you," said Akane cheerfully.  
  
The redhead appeared to think about it for a moment. "Uh, all right."  
  
  
  
"So that's it is it? It appears he does have some of his mother in him then," said Soun with a nod.  
  
"Agreed Tendo, He tends to do it when he gets excited. I cannot understand the complexities of this. He seems closer to me since that horrible ordeal at the springs though."  
  
"I can understand that Saotome. I suppose he has had trouble growing up that way," agreed Soun with a nod.  
  
"His mother had more trouble adjusting. It was not really noticeable until recently in my son." He smiled slightly and nodded to himself. "I fear it may put our agreement in jeopardy though."  
  
"I do not see why, you and your wife have lead a wonderful relationship over the years."  
  
  
  
Akane jumped into the air and launched a kick that was easily dodged by the girl. She spun through and was met by a light punch to the gut as the strange pigtailed girl returned the strike. Akane grinned to herself, the girl was good. Better than her, she could learn a lot from training with her. "All right! This time for real!"  
  
Ranma heard the girl's battle cry and ducked low under the punch rolling away and sweeping her legs from under her. "Ha! Got you!" he exclaimed triumphantly. After a moment he looked down and blinked before patting himself down. "Yup, I'm a guy again," noted his mind. He looked over at the girl who was standing and watching him in shock. "Uh, sorry about that, it happens when I get excited sometimes..."  
  
Akane backed away towards the wall. She moved slowly until she hit the wall and slid a few feet down towards a red button on the wall. Ranma watched her in confusion for a long time before he realized what was happening.   
  
"No! Wait!"  
  
Akane screamed at the top of her lungs and slammed her fist into the alarm. "XOENTHROPIE!"  
  
"Ah shit," muttered the pigtailed boy as he backed away. The sounds of footsteps echoed through the halls and he looked around for an escape.  
  
TBC...  
  
I wanted to turn Ranma 1/2 into a giant robot show without making it a fusion. It's true I'm going to be using, Evangelion, Nandesesco, Gundam, and various other sources for ideas, but no show will be used in this but Ranma itself.  
  
I'd tell you something about what happens next, but it would ruin it for you! Ja!  
  
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
  
  
  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Ranma: Xero  
  
Part 2  
  
Ranma's Secret.  
  
On the planet Mars, a great shadow crossed the surface as if an eclipse were happening in the skies above. The source of the darkness floated in orbit miles above the planet sending pride into the hearts of the people who lived there. The great starship Judicator floated overhead sending chills down the spines of all who gazed upon it. The gray and black hull of the massive cruiser seemed to glow with a surreal light as it gleamed in the sunlight moving by high above the citizens who resided on the planet. It was the flagship of the emperor, and the most feared battleship in the galaxy.  
  
The bridge of the Judicator bustled with an amazing silence as its blue skinned inhabitants moved about in their work. The room itself was nearly three stories tall with massive screens taking up most of the wall that displayed the planet below at the moment. Several tiered balconies housed numerous technicians and officers as they went about their work. On the top tier a single throne like chair rose near to the ceiling, a lone figure sat brooding with a glass of alcohol resting in his palm. He surveyed the scene with an air of absolute power about him and smiled darkly to himself.   
  
Almost lazily he flipped a switch on a control panel that rested on the arm of the throne and smirked. "What is your report?"  
  
A woman with long white hair dressed in a bright orange flight suit appeared on a small screen in front of him. She became rigid suddenly and put her fist up under her chin in an odd salute. "I have nothing, our forces are still not enough to penetrate through the planets defenses. I don't understand it."  
  
"I see, come see me when you return, I want those puny humans crushed."  
  
"Then why not simply stage a large scale attack?" said the woman curtly.  
  
"If you recall, we tried that once before. The result was less than satisfactory, the humans stole our technology and that makes them more formidable than ever. We must weaken their ability to retaliate first. I will not repeat that old fool's mistakes. Once we have removed the defenses they have against us we will attack. That is something our strike forces have failed to do. That tells me that risking a full-scale assault would be foolish. If two little girls are giving you this much trouble..."  
  
"Those children are exceptions! The units the military forces use here are inferior! I know this for a fact!"  
  
"Be quiet you hotheaded fool. They have numbers we cannot hope to match, we may have a formidable military indeed; but we are opposing an entire planet." The shadowy figure placed his drink on the small table that rested beside his chair. He leaned towards her and frowned.   
  
"Sir, I will destroy them," said the woman with a hard look in her eyes.  
  
"See to it that you do Siore. Blackheart should be more than enough for you to destroy those outdated modes they are forced to pilot. Yet somehow you continue to fail me."  
  
The woman growled in anger and bowed her head as the man ended the transmission.  
  
He sat in silence for a moment and took a sip of his drink before sitting back in the chair. His peace did not last long though.   
  
The screen in front of him flashed on again revealing a dangerous looking shadow with two glowing red eyes. It spoke in a raspy, almost hissing voice. "Hello Grand Admiral."  
  
"Highness, it has been some time," said the man casually.  
  
"It has indeed. Your pilots are as charming as ever I see," said the shadowy figure with a small chuckle.  
  
"Indeed, they have passion. Much more useful to me than those puppets your general likes to call soldiers."  
  
"Leave Moore out of this, I wanted to speak with you concerning the planet."  
  
"What is it that you want sire?" asked the Admiral placidly.  
  
"The Xero unit is still out there, I want it found. I don't care if you have to bring back the pieces of it."  
  
"Yes sire, I realize that. It is difficult thought. The area where it crashed is one of the most heavily defended areas on the planet. That probably isn't coincidental either. It is were we concentrate most of our operations."  
  
"Do not fail me," said the shadow in a warning tone. Its eyes narrowed down to slits just before the transmission ended.  
  
"Huh, have I ever before?" He shifted back into his chair and flipped a switch on the console again. "Fei, get ready. I have a job for you."  
  
A shock of red hair on a masculine form appeared on the screen. He merely looked surprised at the intrusion and nodded his head. "As you wish."  
  
  
  
Soun Tendo jumped to his feet as the alarm sounded inside the complex. He grit his teeth in anger and looked towards Genma. "That's the interior alarm!"  
  
"Indeed," muttered the other man with a thoughtful look about him. "You don't suppose..."  
  
"Your son?" said Soun with a hint of worry in his voice.  
  
"Nodoka will not be pleased with this, it's too early yet. Come on, we've got to find him."  
  
  
  
Ranma found himself on the defensive rather quickly. He grit his teeth in frustration as a large group of guards charged into the room. Fortunately they were only armed with clubs and a rather large number of their comrades were laid out on the ground around him. He ducked under another swipe from one of the men near him and jumped up onto his head using it as a springboard to propel himself towards the exit.  
  
"No you don't" screamed Akane as she jumped after him and extended her foot in a kick.   
  
The boy twisted in midair and pushed himself up higher by springing off the extended limb with his hands. He landed roughly a few yards away and rolled back onto his feet. "What the heck are you doing you tomboy?!"  
  
"Stay still and die!" screamed the girl in a rage as she charged forward again and slammed her fist into a nearby wall. A gaping hole appeared where she connected and the pigtailed boy dashed away almost faster than she could follow.  
  
"Are you nuts!? You're tryin to kill me!" he cried as another wave of guards appeared in the room and slowly began to circle around him. The attempted to crush him under a dog pile and the boy merely ducked and rolled away.   
  
"All right, that's it! I'm tired of tryin to be nice!" screamed the boy in rage. He scrambled away just in time and the men fell into a heap missing him by inches. When he turned around again his hair was red and he had a strangely calm look in his eyes.  
  
"Shit, it's turned female again," growled Akane under her breath. She was hoping to get to it before that happened. She calmed herself considerably and stepped back into a ready stance.  
  
"I was just tryin to be nice, and this is how you thank me?" snarled the redhead.  
  
"After what you did to my mother! I will destroy all of you!" screamed the girl as she charged again.   
  
Ranma didn't back down this time. She stood her ground and blocked every strike easily. Akane pushed herself harder and harder but it didn't seem to matter. With a final heave, Ranma grabbed the angry girl by her arm and tossed her over her shoulder and into a wall.   
  
Akane screamed in pain and anger as she dropped to the ground after leaving a sizable crater in the wall. She slowly struggled to her knees and glared up at her opponent. "Damn you!"  
  
"What the hell is your problem?!" screamed the redhead.  
  
Akane rose to her feet and let loose a battle cry as she charged towards her opponent again. Ranma stepped back into an offensive stance and stared at her dead in the eyes.  
  
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"  
  
Both combatants froze in place with the pigtailed girl's fist inches away from Akane's exposed neck. She stared the Akane directly in the eyes and saw fear there.  
  
Soun walked into the room surrounded by security guards and looked at the mess around him disapprovingly. "Akane, I am severely disappointed in you."  
  
"Dad! Get away! She's one of them!" screamed the girl in panic as she jumped between her father and the girl. She held her arms out wide and glared at her with an angry stare.  
  
Soun pushed her aside rather roughly and walked up to Ranma before bowing to her deeply. "Please accept my apology Saotome. My daughter does not yet understand."  
  
The girl looked over at the completely shocked Akane and nodded slowly. "Forget about it."   
  
The man stood upright with a smile on his face and waved his arm. "Please feel free to rest. You and your father have been assigned a room here at our facilities. I'm sure you are in need of a good hot bath, or perhaps a meal. One of my men will escort you to your room."  
  
"Dad?" Gasped Akane with a look of betrayed pain in her eyes.  
  
"Come with me Akane, we have a lot to discuss. This is my old friend Genma Saotome. That boy you were just trying to kill is his son, Ranma."  
  
"You mean that thing?!" cried the girl in a moment of anger.  
  
Soun stopped and whirled around to face her. "That is not a thing Akane, it is a man. I will explain everything, please come with me, your sisters are waiting."  
  
  
  
  
Genma sat opposite of the gathered family and sighed. "It all started two months ago, in China. My son and I were traveling across the country in order to train ourselves in the art. We happened upon a valley with an ancient training ground. It was called 'Jusenkyo, the cursed springs'."  
  
"The pools of sorrow?" said Nabiki with a slightly raised eyebrow.  
  
"Yes, we didn't know any better. We decided to train there not knowing the horrors of the cursed place. After a few moments of sparring my son knocked me into one of the pools, when I emerged I was changed."  
  
Akane didn't like the way this story was going. "What the hell do you mean changed?"  
  
"I fell into a pool called 'The Spring of Drowned Panda'. You see the curse of Jusenkyo is a terrible one indeed. There are more than one hundred cursed pools there, each more tragic than the last. Whomever falls into one of the pools, takes the form of the last being to drown there, be it man or animal. My son had the misfortune of falling into the 'Spring of Drowned Girl'." He watched the room carefully and frowned. The looks he was getting from the girls were skeptical to say the least.  
  
"Allow me to demonstrate." Soun stood from his chair and poured a glass of water he had prepared for the event over his old friend's head. The man shifted in form into a giant panda and growled slightly.  
  
"You mean..." Akane suddenly had a horrified look on her face.  
  
"Yes, that boy was not a Xoenthropie." Soun gave a sagely nod and turned towards his youngest. "You should go and apologize Akane, after all, he is your new fiancee." He poured a cup of hot water for his old friend from the teakettle that was placed on the table.  
  
The youngest girl fell out of her chair in shock. The elder sisters jumped from their seats and looked at their father in shock.  
  
"Daddy! You mean Akane has to marry this boy? What about us? You can't expect him too..." Kasumi fell silent as she realized what she was saying.  
  
"I have made my decision. This is not a punishment Akane. My old friend and I have discussed it at length. He will be helping you train in the arts, that is one reason why he is here. My old friend and his son will train all of the pilots here in the Anything Goes style."  
  
Akane felt her head grow lighter as she struggled back into her seat. "But...I can't..."  
  
"My decision is final." The man turned away with tears in his eyes as he left the room.  
  
Genma followed him out, pausing only for a moment to give the three another quick glance.  
  
Nabiki was the first to speak. "Boy sis, you've really screwed up this time."  
  
"How was I supposed to know about that?!" screamed the girl in an angry retort.  
  
"Oh my," was all Kasumi could say.  
  
The three girls turned to face the door as their father's cry echoed through the hallways. "Waaaaah! My baby girl is going to be married!"  
  
Akane simply glared hatefully at the door and turned away from her sisters.  
  
"In any case Akane, you really do owe him an apology," said Kasumi with a resigned sigh.  
  
The two girls left Akane alone with her thoughts.  
  
  
  
Ranma walked out of the shower in the small apartment they had supplied him and wrapped a towel around his waist. After a moment he sat down on the bed and began to rummage through his bag for a spare set of clothes, his traveling clothes were currently in the washing machine that was inside of a closet area. The room was spacious, it had a small kitchen area, a shower and bath, and a single room with a television set that doubled as living room and bedroom. He idly flicked on a light and began to dress himself.  
  
"Pop, what the hell have you gotten me into now?"  
  
A tentative knock on the door broke his chain of thought and he put on his undershirt before opening the door. He narrowed his eyes at the girl who stood before him with a heavy blush on her face. "What do you want?"  
  
"I uhh, came to apologize," stammered the girl nervously as she bowed quickly. She sucked in a breath of surprise as a foot stopped a hair's length before her nose.  
  
"Never take your eyes off your opponent. You had no idea how hostile I might have been after what you pulled," said the boy with a smirk on his face as he lowered his foot and walked across the room. "I suppose I'll have to let you live, seeing as we're engaged and all."  
  
"You already know?" said the girl with a shocked look on her face.  
  
"Pop called me and told me on that weird screen in the wall," Ranma jerked his thumb over his shoulder and pointed to the com unit. It was just beside the door.  
  
"I see, look..." she straightened herself up and glared at him with a hard gaze.  
  
"Don't worry you tomboy, I like this about as much as you do," said the boy as he flipped his pigtail over his shoulder and put on a kettle of hot water. "You want some tea or something?"  
  
"Hey you jerk! Where do you get off calling me a tomboy?" snapped the girl as a sudden anger welled up inside her.  
  
"What does it matter you little psycho? I'm stuck here until you get good at martial arts anyway. I'll probably be here for years."  
  
A few moments later Akane stormed out the door of the room and snorted. She put her nose up in the air as Genma walked by towards the room and he blinked as she brushed past him. He walked into the room and raised his eyebrow as he found his son with what appeared to be the remains of a vase shattered around his head, the boy was lying on the floor unconscious.   
  
Ranma muttered something and he bent down and poked him with a finger. "Are you all right boy?"  
  
"Uncute," grumbled the boy halfheartedly.   
  
  
  
Meanwhile, on Mainland China...  
  
  
  
"Shampoo, are you prepared?" said Cologne. Various elders inside a smoke filled hut surrounded the old woman. There was very little light in the room and she stared at them with a determined look in her eyes.  
  
"Of course, I'll hunt her down," snapped the girl with an almost wild anger in her eyes.  
  
"No, you will not," said the old woman.  
  
"What?! But I must, I gave her the kiss!" cried the girl in shock.  
  
"They have escaped us, by going to their own country they are beyond our reach. In times such as these, you are needed here in the village. The war makes traveling abroad much too dangerous to both us, and yourself."  
  
"I understand," said the girl as she hung her head in defeat.  
  
"Without you, our village has no protection against these invaders. They are indeed rare in this region, but hardly absent."  
  
"Then what am I preparing for?" asked the girl with a slightly frightened look on her face.  
  
Another one of the elders spoke up. She was slightly larger than Cologne and had a long pipe hanging from her mouth that almost touched the ground at its base. "The psychic, Fe Shal, has had another vision. We are in need of your skills again young one."  
  
The violet tressed Amazon nodded slowly in understanding. "Then I am to fight again?"  
  
"Yes, please be cautious. We cannot repair the sleeping giant if it is further damaged. That would leave us defenseless."  
  
"I shall not disappoint you honored elders," said the girl with a final bow. She turned and walked out the door.  
  
After she left one of the elders turned towards Cologne and smirked to herself. "Mousse is quite adept at repairing the beast. I do realize that he can not fix any major damage, but it would be unwise to make her overly cautious."  
  
"True, but if she is killed, or the beast rendered inoperable..." said another of the old women cautiously.  
  
"That is enough, my great granddaughter will not fail. She has never done so in the past," snapped Cologne in an irritated tone.  
  
"Yes it would seem that luck is on our side. One of our scouts happened upon the beast while bringing supplies back from near the shores, deep in communist territory. I am amazed we managed to transport it here without it getting confiscated. Something like this will not remain a secret from them long Cologne. I am surprised they have not already tried to steal our little secret from us." Most of the women in the room agreed with the elder as she pulled the pipe away from her lips and smiled darkly.  
  
"Yes I know." Cologne hopped into the center of the meeting. "We must remain cautious, the giant was already damaged when we found it. A small portion of the ship separated from the main body when it fell from the sky. That the government didn't notice that is a blessing in itself. We cannot risk asking for help in keeping it up. That would draw attention to us."  
  
"Even though we sent young Mousse away to learn about outsider technology, it is still not enough. The beast will not survive more than a few battles," said the second elder sagely.  
  
"Have faith, Shampoo will not fail us. I only wish one of us could control that damn demon," consoled Cologne.  
  
"My faith is growing thin. It is true that your granddaughter is the greatest of her generation Cologne, but how much longer until she grows too much for the beast to listen. Only girls in her age group even have the hope of commanding that thing. Young teens forced to do the work that only a full and experienced warrior should be doing." The first old woman took another puff of her pipe and sat back with a dissatisfied scowl.  
  
"Hoping will not accomplish anything, nor will this useless squabbling. There is nothing we can do about this situation at the moment. It is beyond even our control." Cologne tapped the head of her staff on the ground signaling the end of the meeting. She turned and walked out the door towards her home.  
  
  
  
"Shampoo, what are you doing here?" Mousse dropped a wrench into the rather high tech box that housed his tools. He was covered in grease and had a smear running down the right lens of his glasses.  
  
"Great Grandmother said that another one is coming soon. We have to be ready."  
  
"Easy for her to say. This thing is far beyond anything they taught me at those schools in Japan. You have no idea how long it took me to convince them I needed these expensive tools to fix the damn thing. I guess they expected me to do it with rocks or something. Backwards old fools." He pat the mech on the chest plate before jumping down to look at his work.  
  
The armor plating was a dark lavender color. Its body was human looking and covered in armor plating. Half of the chest was covered by what was salvaged tank armor; it was an unpainted gray with flecks of green paint still dotting the aged metal.   
Its head was almost insectoid in appearance. A large lens with several smaller sensors nestled around it sat in the center and a large flat protrusion jutted from the right side of its head, looking almost like a rabbit ear. Unfortunately half of the armor was missing from the cranium leaving the left side exposed; wires and electronics could be seen easily from the scar. Several small places on the torso, arms, and legs were the same.  
  
Mousse was not the only Amazon male who was charged with learning the technology they needed to maintain the great beast. He did spend more time than the rest of them working on the beast. His specialization was with basic maintenance; while others had more specialized fields, such as radar, or computer systems.  
  
"Is it fixed yet?" she asked him without paying much attention.  
  
"It wasn't broken, I was just making sure of a few things," replied the boy with a shrug; he slipped the toolbox inside his sleeve and it seemed to vanish, as if by magic. "Say Shampoo, since I'm done for the day...why don't we go out on a date! I know this really great restaurant..."  
  
He didn't get any farther than that as a rock slammed into his head. He groaned in pain and struggled back to his feet.   
  
"Stupid Mousse! There's only one restaurant in the entire village! I'd rather go out with a cabbage!" snorted the girl as she climbed up to the chest and placed her hand inside the space that ran down the center. After a moment there was a beeping sound and the chestplate opened revealing the cockpit. She climbed inside and slipped her arms and legs into the large tube like protrusions inside. Various displays lit up around her and the chestplate folded back into place, closing her inside. "Get out of here now, I have to practice!"  
  
Mousse jumped away as the foot came down almost crushing him where he stood. He grabbed a monkey that was sitting on a rock and shook with fear for a moment before looking at what was in his arms. He pulled his glasses down and looked at it for a moment. "Elder Cologne, when did you get here?"  
  
The monkey screamed and scratched him repeatedly in the face before jumping away into the forest. "Ouch, she must be in a good mood today. I'm still conscious."  
  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time, I promise some cool giant robot action.  
  
  
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
URL: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/  
  



	4. Default Chapter Title

Ranma: Xero  
  
Part 3  
  
Firewall  
  
  
Genma Saotome looked down at his son and sighed. "So boy, what is your assessment?"  
  
Ranma was currently laying on his futon with an ice pack on his head. He groaned as he removed the bag and looked up at his father. "Of what? This engagement thing?"  
  
"You know full well what I mean boy," replied the elder Saotome with his frown deepening.  
  
"The tomboy has a lot of strength, but her temper could get her killed. Something doesn't seem right about that Kuno girl either," replied the boy as he sat up.  
  
"You may be right, but these girls are under my tutelage now, I cannot let my old friend down." The man paced back and forth across the floor with his head hung low in thought.  
  
"Why didn't he just train them himself? He's your old training buddy isn't he?" grumbled the boy sourly.  
  
"Don't even start that boy, we'd be here anyway if only because of the engagement. Besides, the events have forced him away from the art. I cannot hold him responsible for losing his edge in this situation. There was no one else who could do what he has done."  
  
Ranma nodded and lay back down with his hands behind his head. "So now what? I mean, we have to do something. I don't know what we're supposed to do about those two."  
  
"You'd best learn boy, have you forgotten that you will have students one day? It is your responsibility to carry on the Anything Goes style. I'm glad this happened in a way, now you can learn first hand what it means to be a sensei."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Like you did such a bang up job pop. I can recall several times where your so called 'training' almost got us both killed."  
  
"And are you not better because of it?" snapped the man in retort. "I think its high time you showed me some respect boy! Come on, we're going back to the dojo!" Genma stalked out the door and Ranma watched him for a moment before standing up and following with a scowl on his face.  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki Tendo sat down at a desk near the back of a crowded office area. She sighed contentedly as she relaxed and flipped through a few folders that sat in the center of the work area. "Daddy, when will you learn that money doesn't grow on trees? Honestly, even these grants have only a limited amount of funds in them."  
  
"Back again I see?" said a familiar voice from behind her.  
  
Nabiki slowly turned in the chair and smiled at the man who stood behind her. He was in his late twenties and was wearing a uniform like everyone else in the office. Like Nabiki's, it was black and red. He had long hair and an unshaven look about him. "Hi Kojiro, still trying to convince my father that we don't need central heating in this building?"  
  
"Ouch Miss Tendo, still nosing about where you're not wanted?" retorted the man with a cheerful smile.  
  
"Oh please, daddy likes that I keep an eye on things around here. It makes him feel like he has control or something," replied the girl with a snide smile as she closed the folder and placed it back on the desk before standing up and letting the man back into his seat.  
  
"Well, after you go to college I'll take great pleasure in working for you," said the man cheerfully.  
  
"I suppose its never to early to start kissing up, ne?" replied the girl as she walked around to the front of the desk and leaned back against it.  
  
"Hardly, I just can't wait until you oust the ogre from his lair," replied the man with a small wink.  
  
"You're a hopeless flirt you know that?" said the girl as she raised her eyebrow and looked back at him over her shoulder.  
  
"You're one to talk. Now scat; go bother one of the other office moles. I've got work to do," said the man playfully.  
  
Nabiki sighed over dramatically and started off. "Ah, the wonderful world of peons I suppose. I'll see you later?"  
  
"Is Kasumi working in the cafeteria again?" asked the man with his grin widening suddenly.  
  
"Of course, she can't clean house like she used too. What else is she going to do?" said the girl with a small snort of laughter.  
  
"She could be down in the doctor's office causing more injuries," noted the man dryly.   
  
"Daddy put in an alarm system to warn patients when she's coming. It's been quite effective, Tofu still doesn't know what the alarm is for, the poor fool." She turned the corner and walked away.  
  
Kojiro looked down at his desk and smiled. Several of the financial reports were already calculated for him. He had to admit the girl was good with numbers, she was cute too. He sighed and put his head back with a small frown appearing on his face. "If only she was a few years older...Aya would kill me anyway. Oh well." He sat up and started his work.  
  
  
  
  
In the hallway Nabiki smirked as she ran into her older sister. "Hi Kasumi, what are you doing here? I'd think you'd be in the kitchen about now."  
  
"I'm on my way. I'd have been there sooner, but father wanted me to make tea for a meeting he's having right now. They seem like such nice angry old men too."  
  
"An interesting analogy sis," commented the younger girl as they rounded the corner. "Is Akane where I think she is?"  
  
"Of course," replied Kasumi cheerfully. "She's been working real hard on getting better at piloting that robot. I hope she doesn't over do it."  
  
"Of course she will, just like everything else she does," replied Nabiki as she waved her hand and dismissed the matter.  
  
"So, she has a history of this?" said a new voice from behind the girls.  
  
Both girls turned to see Ranma standing behind them with a towel over his shoulder.   
  
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," replied the younger girl curtly.  
  
"Nabiki! That isn't very nice!" exclaimed Kasumi with a shocked look on her face.  
  
"Even if it's true?" replied the girl with a confident look on her face.  
  
"Well, it still isn't nice," insisted the elder of the pair.  
  
Nabiki didn't bother to respond she looked at Ranma and smiled again. "Where are you headed?"  
  
"Training hall, Akane isn't the only one in training you know," responded the boy with a smirk on his face.   
  
"As much as she'd like to believe it..." deadpanned Nabiki.  
  
"I've still got to teach pop every once and a while," continued the boy without breaking stride. He continued on his way and rounded the corner leaving the girls alone. They both looked at each other and shrugged before walking on their way.  
  
"Where are you heading Nabiki?" asked Kasumi.  
  
"I dunno, I figure I'll go torture the financial department some more or something."  
  
"Oh, that's where those nice angry old men in the meeting were from," said Kasumi obliviously. "You really should let them work though."  
  
Nabiki hung her head and sighed. "On second thought, I guess I have to go save daddy before he makes a fool of himself again."  
  
  
  
  
Somewhere in the mountains of China...  
  
A red streak slammed into the ground creating a crater in the center of a small remote village. The villagers scattered as debris rained on the ground around them in a panic. Their day had been rudely interrupted by the intrusion of the alien object and they scattered like roaches into the darkness of their homes. A red glow filled the impact crater as the smoke began to clear. One of the braver villagers moved towards the smoking hole and peered into it with a look of fear in his eyes as he waited for something to happen.  
  
"What is it?" called one of the men as he emerged from one of the homes. A few cries of protest from inside were ignored as he slowly stepped outside.  
  
"I can't tell, there's too much smoke," replied the first man as he turned to face him. He saw the man scream in alarm and fall back onto the ground on his back in terror as he tried desperately to make it back into his home. He slowly turned his head and saw something slam into his head.  
  
He never had the chance to scream as the black, metallic, hand engulfed his head and torso crushing him into a red gel easily.  
  
  
  
Akane grit her teeth in anger as she jumped from the simulator and fell to her knees pounding the ground in frustration. "Damn her!"  
  
"You should relax more Tendo, you're much too temperamental," said Kodachi as she passed by with a towel draped across her shoulders. She and Akane were both covered in sweat and the collars on their uniforms were undone as they stood off in the center of the large room that was filled with the simulator robots. "It was a good match, but I do worry about you."  
  
Akane looked up at her for a moment with a rage in her eyes and hung her head in defeat. "You're right. I'm still not good enough though..."  
  
"You forget that we will not be facing each other Tendo. We will be fighting together," replied the girl with a smirk on her lips as she turned and walked away.  
  
Akane moved from her knees and sat down placing her hands behind her to hold herself up. She pulled up her right arm and made a fist in front of her face with a questioning gaze. "Why? What am I doing wrong?" After a moment she stood up and walked towards the locker room. "Next time, I'll win for sure."  
  
  
  
Ranma dove for his father from the air and grunted as his punch was blocked. He shifted in the air as the elder Saotome snapped a kick at him and grabbed the extended leg using it as a springboard to sail over his head. Genma turned and snapped a punch out that caught Ranma on his shoulder and threw him off balance for a moment, the boy corrected himself and landed in a crouching stance on the ground before standing up again and facing off against his father.  
  
Both combatants were breathing heavily and covered in sweat. Ranma charged again and launched himself into the air, Genma did the same and they met in another flurry of punches and kicks. Sweat drops could be seen shining in the air as they moved by one another through the sunbeams that shined into the dojo through the windows that lined an entire wall of the room. It gave the battle an almost surreal effect as the pair darted in and out of each other's defenses in an acrobatic display.   
  
Finally Genma landed a firm kick that sent Ranma sprawling across the dojo floor. The boy hit hard and bounced once before coming to rest on the mat. He slowly struggled to his hands and knees and glared at the ground in frustration. "Damn, looks like you got me this time pop."  
  
Genma smirked. "You're getting lax Ranma, that was far to easy. We're going to have to step up your training schedule again."  
  
The boy smirked as he looked at his parent. The old man was in the same shape as he was. He had no illusions on how hard it was for his father to best him. He rolled over onto his back and smirked. "Sure thing pop. I could use the extra work almost as much as you."  
  
Genma huffed for a moment, but did not reply. He turned away and started towards the door leaving his son alone. Ranma sat up and looked around the room. A few scattered men and women were still staring at him from the various exercise machines in the room. None of them spoke a word and all were seemingly frozen in shock. The battle itself took only a few minutes and Ranma didn't quite understand what they were all looking at.  
  
He got his reply when one of the women near him started to clap for some reason. The room soon joined in the response and he hung his head with a blush appearing on his cheeks for a moment. "What the heck was that about?"  
  
  
  
"What do you want?" cried the old man as he stared up at the huge red demon before him. Flames burned around him, the remains of his once prosperous village. Tears flowed down his eyes as he looked up at the smoke-blackened sky and the thing that had caused the destruction. It was a huge red mechanical beast with what looked like a large flat metal ring on its back that reached over its head and across its shoulders. The head was almost like that of a samurai helmet and two bladed horns jutted from each side, the horn on the left was about half the size of its counterpart.   
  
The thing did not reply; it merely raised its hand with its palm facing forward and shot forth a beam of fire that engulfed the last villager. The man screamed as he burned alive, he rolled desperately across the ground in an effort to extinguish the flame, but it didn't matter. After a few moments he stopped on the ground lying face down, the skeletal ashes simply burned like everything around them.  
  
Hidden inside the surreal glow of the instrument lights inside the cockpit a shadowy figure smiled darkly. A few locks of red hair shifted as the thing inside the massive armor chuckled to itself.  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki turned off the monitor she had been watching and smiled. She had watched the pathetic display of training the pair had attempted earlier. Ranma had insulted Akane while trying to critique her and had promptly been clobbered with a nearby piece of exercise equipment. Genma hadn't really done all that much besides watch her sister and Kodachi spar for a few minutes after that. With what she just saw, her sister was in for a very rude awakening. The pair's training would not be easy, that much she was sure of. Despite being beaten earlier by the boy, her little sister was under the impression that they would be pushovers in training.   
  
"This should be most interesting," she commented to herself. Needless to say, she would have a most interesting time once they started school again. Knowing the two parents, they would force Ranma to go along with his fiancee to school as a way to build a bond. She had no illusions about her father not knowing about her little sister's problems at school. She often wondered why he simply overlooked it though, perhaps he thought of it as the training he could no longer give her? It didn't really matter on the end. Ranma was in for quite a surprise on Monday morning. Whether or not it would be on him or someone else was entirely up in the air right now.  
  
  
  
  
"It's coming from the south," said Cologne to the rest of the counsel.   
  
Murmurs erupted from around the room in distress at the news.   
  
"It would seem Fei Shal was correct yet again," said one of the women with a stern look on her face. This incited even more whispers and murmurs from the crowd of women.  
  
"There is more," said the matriarch from the center of the dusty floor as she patiently waited for silence to return. "It has already destroyed several villages in its path, so we know exactly where it's coming from. Unfortunately, it also means that it's heading straight for us."  
  
"So, we are to assume that it knows that we have the giant here?" said one of the old women in the back of the room.  
  
"It would be best to believe that," agreed Cologne.  
  
"We should expect more attacks then. I told you that we should have left that damn thing where we found it!" cried the old woman with the long pipe.  
  
"Perhaps you were right Sin Ku; but that changes nothing. We can assume that we are now a direct target of the invaders. The Chinese military has failed in any attempts to stop it; they are not willing to poison the land with a missile strike for a single giant. Shampoo is our only defense now. However foolish our decision was, it is now something we must live with. We will send Shampoo to intercept near the mountain pass. All we can do from here is pray."  
  
  
  
  
"Fei."   
  
The redhead snapped its head up inside the cockpit and made a light growling sound.   
  
"They are reacting as expected."  
  
"Understood."  
  
"Do not fail me. If it is the Xero unit you know what to do."  
  
"Yes Admiral," said the thing with a dark gleam in its eyes. "For the Empire."  
  
"For the Empire. Out."  
  
  
  
  
"For me dear Lotus," said Shampoo as she looked nervously around the cockpit around her. "Please be strong for me."  
  
The forest around her was silent, the unit stood proudly with a huge spear in its hands waiting in silence for the oncoming menace. No animal sound could be heard around her signaling the approaching danger. Occasionally she would see something rush by on the ground below. Otherwise complete silence.   
  
She waited like this for what seemed like days. Her gaze never wavered from the foliage around her. Then she saw it, a single wisp of smoke in the distance rising from the trees. It grew with each passing second. She steeled herself and waited, and waited.   
  
Almost a half-hour had passed, the smoke was growing worse, but was not moving any closer. She grunted in anticipation. It could be just a forest fire, or it could be trying to lure her closer. She deliberated for a moment and scowled.   
  
  
  
When she reached the clearing only a few minutes later she found something she was not expecting. As she moved closer she began to suspect only a forest fire, she could not be sure though so she pressed on. What she found merely confused her.  
  
It was a small spider-like robot with what looked like a torch burning underneath it. She paused and circled around it a few times as it burned pronounced lines in the ground for some reason. Most of the foliage had been long since burned and it now merely set about drawing something in the dirt. She walked over to the robot and kicked it onto its side. It continued to move about mechanically and did nothing more than squirm about on the ground.  
  
"What is this?"  
  
Her blood suddenly ran cold as she looked down on the ground. Written clearly in Mandarin were words.   
  
"Behind you fool."  
  
Shampoo spun around and held her spear ready. She glanced at the sensors and radar screens around her desperately looking for the hidden enemy. After a moment she relaxed slightly and pulled the spear back up to her side. "What does that mean?" Suddenly a realization hit her.  
  
  
  
  
  
Mousse walked through the wilderness slowly as he headed home again. He had been back at the clearing checking up on a few things with his equipment. There wasn't much to do there without the robot itself, but he liked the quiet sometimes. He mused as he walked along almost cheerfully. He was kind of glad for the beast. Because of it he had gained some respect within the village, and it also meant he had to spend more time with Shampoo. The fact was, he could only think of one down side, and that was what was happening right now. Shampoo had to face the invader alone, there just wasn't much anyone else could do to help her.  
  
He paused and looked up at the sky adjusting his glasses. "Smoke? It's started already has it?" He sighed and hung his head in worry and frustration. It tore him apart that there was nothing he could do to help his beloved. After a moment of walking along sulking to himself he paused and looked up again. Something about the smoke wasn't quite right. "Oh no!" Mousse broke into a run.  
  
  
  
  
Cologne stood watching Joketsuko burn around her. A cold frown crossed her wizened features as she realized that they had been out maneuvered. "Why? What purpose did such action create? Surely the village was not the target..." She hung her head as she realized that she would probably never know. A ring of fire twenty feet high surrounded the village preventing any escape and their weapons were useless against the thing. Tears flowed down the matriarch's face as she watched her finest warriors get slaughtered. All around her the screams of the dying and burned people of her village filled her ears.  
  
"So, after three thousand years of history...this is how it all ends?" she glared at the demon as it blasted into the homes mercilessly. Streams of fire tore through crowds of fleeing and desperately fighting men and women. "Come demon, I shall not die idly!" She let out a battle cry and jumped at the thing with a rage in her voice.  
  
  
  
  
The giant red mech blasted through the village easily. It crushed houses beneath its feet and shot jets of flames through the flame-throwers inside if it's palms. Occasionally it would idly send another jet towards the ring of flames that surrounded the village keeping them burning to prevent the escape of any of the people. The fuel used in the flames was almost like napalm, only much stronger and longer lasting. It coated anything it sprayed in a flaming gel that insured that they could not douse the flames no matter what they did. It was designed to burn even in the void of space, nothing known could extinguish the fire once it started burning. The pilot smiled as it watched the death around it almost passively. There was no challenge here; it was almost boring... almost.  
  
A single old woman performed a jump that surprised even the monster inside the cockpit. Easily fifteen feet into the air, she extended her staff and screamed in rage as she charged the giant beast.   
  
Fei snorted at the act of courage. "Goodbye." The mech raised its open hand at the old hag.  
  
  
  
There was a sudden shower of sparks as a massive purple blur slammed into the red mech sending a line of flame spewing wildly across the remains of the village. Fei grunted as the mech was thrown onto its side on top of an already crushed home. He looked up and saw a spear slam into the ground between the mech's legs. "What have we here?" said the pilot out loud with an amused sounding voice.  
  
Shampoo screamed in rage and thrust her spear missing the torso and slamming it into the ground between its legs in a clumsy strike. The thing sent a kick up that caught her own machine in the gut and sent it flying through the air. She landed on top of the village hall crushing half of it flat in a second.  
  
She gasped as the screen in front of her came to life. None of the others had ever tried to speak with her before. "An X-09? It's more than I expected here. I'm impressed with everything you've managed to do with just that outdated piece of junk. Especially one in such terrible condition." Shampoo could not speak as she simply stared at the being in front of her.   
  
It was a girl, a human looking girl. She was dressed in a zip up black leather vest. A gold chain hung around her neck with what looked like a tooth from some large carnivore hanging from it. Her most shocking feature was her hair, long red locks that hung down covering her eyes from view, from what she could see of them; her gaze was cold and excited.   
  
The alien continued to speak, although not to her directly. "It isn't Xero."  
  
Another voice came through the transmission, someone she could not see, this one clearly masculine. "Destroy it then."  
  
"Affirmative," replied the girl with her dark smile widening. She never took her eyes off of Shampoo during the whole conversation.  
  
"You can try!" screamed the Amazon in challenge as she stood the mech up and took up a ready position.  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: Fei vs. Shampoo. Ooh, I know you hate me for this one.  
  
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
Url: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/  
  
  



	5. Default Chapter Title

  
Ranma:Xero  
  
Part 4  
  
End of an Era.  
  
  
"School?" Ranma sat across from his father with a distasteful look on his face.  
  
"Well, we are going to be staying a while boy," said the man with a self satisfied nod.  
  
"I guess so," muttered the boy. He didn't put up too much resistance. They had been at the complex for several days now and he had not left the building since their arrival. "Say pop, where is this place anyway? You never said where we were. All I know is we're close to Tokyo."  
  
Genma looked at his son in surprise. "Really? I thought I'd mentioned that. This is the NJSA building."  
  
"This is the National Japanese Security Agency?" the boy blinked and looked around the room in mild surprise. "I always thought it would be more...military."  
  
"Well it is a private agency," said the older man with a shrug. "By the way son, your mother is coming to visit in a few weeks. Try to stay out of trouble for a while this time."  
  
Ranma frowned at the statement, but let it pass.  
  
"Regardless, you know how she is," muttered the man with an annoyed look on his features.  
  
"No, not really. I haven't seen her in..." Ranma suddenly seemed to realize what his father said. "Mom's coming here? What for?"  
  
"Foolish boy! She wants to see her son! It's been ten years, or have you forgotten?"  
  
"Forgotten what? What the hell are you talking about?" said the boy with a confused glare at the man.  
  
"Never mind son. Just make sure you're here to greet her when she arrives," snapped the man impatiently.  
  
"Sure thing." Ranma stood up and left the room in a daze. He hung his head and grabbed the bag that waited for him by the door. "Mom? I'm really going to see her again?"  
  
Nabiki seemed to rush by as she moved through the halls in a hurry. She paused and blinked as she passed by Ranma. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Goin to school I guess," said the boy without really paying attention.  
  
Akane rushed up behind her sister with Kodachi Kuno at her side. "You are?" asked the girl in surprise.  
  
"I look forward to seeing you there Ranma-sensei," said Kodachi with a small smirk appearing on her face.  
  
Ranma looked up at them as they rushed off towards the exit of the building. All of the girls were dressed in school uniforms. "Wait a minute..."  
  
  
  
  
Nabiki rolled her eyes as she took a seat on the train that would take them into the city. "You could have told me you didn't know where the school was you know. You didn't have to scare us half to death."  
  
"Who was scared?!" snapped Akane angrily.  
  
"I recall you screamed louder than any of us at his sudden appearance," commented Kodachi with her satisfied grin.  
  
"Who asked you anyway?!" retorted the angry girl.   
  
"You ran off before I thought about it," replied the boy with a shrug. He had jumped out of the third story window and nearly scared the three of them out of their wits as he landed in the middle of their little group as they rushed out the doors of the building.  
  
"When we get to school you don't know me," said Akane with a frown.  
  
"Whatever, I don't want to be associated with an uncute tomboy like you anyway," snorted the boy distastefully.  
  
"Hohohohohoho! My you do know Akane well don't you Ranma-sensei?" said Kodachi.  
  
"You jerk!" snapped Akane as she punched Ranma into the ceiling of the train car. Thankfully he only dented the roof a bit and came down on the ground rather roughly.  
  
A few moments later the group was walking down the street towards the school from the station. Ranma was glancing around and rubbing his head on occasion as he gave Akane dirty looks. "Where the hell are we anyway?"  
  
Nabiki turned towards the boy and sighed. "Nerima ward. It's the closest school to the complex. Daddy wanted to put one in the building for us and hire tutors, but the financial board said it would cost too much, and it would compromise security."  
  
Ranma noticed the building a short distance away and frowned. "Furinkan High. I guess this is it huh?"  
  
Nabiki nodded and stepped to the side as Akane rushed forward.   
  
"Hate boys, hate boys, hate boys, hate boys!!!!" snapped the young girl as she rushed towards a large crowd that was gathered in the front yard of the school.  
  
"What the?" said Ranma in confusion as he started to move after her.  
  
"Don't worry about it, this happens every morning," said Nabiki with a sigh.  
  
"To think that they fear speaking to me so and are forced to humble themselves for Akane Tendo because I am so out of reach! How I pity them!" cried Kodachi dramatically. She swooned unconvincingly and staggered for a moment causing Nabiki to roll her eyes again.  
  
"Come on and get inside or we'll be late."  
  
  
  
Akane rushed forward as the boys charged her. "I love you! Akane this is for you! Please go out with me!" cried various students within the crowd as they neared her.  
  
She growled under her breath and slammed into the front lines sending bodies flying in every direction as she charged through the boys. She screamed in rage as her fist and feet tore a path through the male population of her school.   
  
A rather large boy stood in her path with his arms spread wide. He screamed as he dove for her and she turned to face him with a scowl on her face. The last thing he saw was her fist closing in.  
  
  
  
  
Shampoo screamed in rage as she parried another blow by spinning her spear into the long chain that had emerged from the red mech's arm. Its hand had shot forward slamming into her chest surprising her and leaving three distinct claw marks in the armor. The parried claw glowed with energy as it's superheated surface slammed into another hut sending it to the ground in a ball of flames. The Amazon unit pulled the spear to its side and waited for the next attack.   
  
The red mech snapped its arm up and the chain was pulled back again returning the clawed hand back to the waiting wrist. It stepped forward slowly and spread its arms out in preparation to grapple with the enemy mech again.  
  
Shampoo didn't wait for it to charge. She dashed forward jumping into the air in a diving slash that sent another shower of sparks as she gained yet another clean strike against her foe. Unfortunately all she managed to do was put another long scratch across its chest armor. The thing was pushed back though and she snarled with a feral anger as she slowly moved back again in defense.   
  
"If this thing gets a hold on me I'm through," she thought grimly. The charred remains of Joketsuko smoldered and burned around her and she felt her chest grow tight again. "I've got to get him out of here!"  
  
Fei watched the girl circle around her and sat silently in wait. The village burned around her and she knew that the pilot would succumb to her anger soon enough. She needed only to wait. The homemade spear the unit was using posed her no danger and the girl seemed to have a minimal understanding of the weapons that she possessed inside the unit itself. She only knew the basics of operating it; she had no clue of its real strengths and weaknesses. "Pity she is an excellent pilot."  
  
The two giant robots circled around one another near the edge of the forest. Shampoo paused as the red mech stopped in front of the wall of fire that surrounded the village. With a war cry she charged forward pushing its waiting arms upwards and slammed into its chest pushing it back. A small screen lit up in front of her again with the smiling face of the redhead leering at her dangerously.   
  
"A foolish attack, your unit us much weaker than mine!"   
  
The two robots clashed with Shampoo pushing the red mech back about twenty yards towards the firewall. Two long grooves were cut into the earth as the thing pushed back and stopped her charge cold.  
  
Shampoo growled and struggled with the controls. "No! Damn it! I need more force!" Almost as soon as the words left her mouth she felt something mechanical move on the unit's back. "What the?" She was slammed into her seat as G-forces suddenly pushed against her. The woman on the display suddenly grimaced as she was lurched forward by the force.  
  
  
  
Mousse desperately rushed along the wall of flames shielding his face as he desperately searched for a way into the village. "Shampoo! Damn it! What the hell is going on here?!" He turned and moved along the wall of flames as the cries of his people floated over the roar of the flame. The sounds of metal striking metal managed to overthrow even the almost deafening sound. "Shampoo!" He cried desperately.  
  
He paused as two shadows appeared from inside the wall of flames, a loud boom resonated through the valley as they emerged from the firewall. "Oh shi-!" He dove to the ground as the two mechs burst from the flames at an amazing speed. The red mech passed over his head with the right leg missing his face by inches. He felt an incredible heat and rolled onto his back as the pair blasted into the forest behind him. "What the?"  
  
The purple mech was pushing the red one away from the village. Two jets had emerged from hidden compartments in its back and where emitting a blue flame as they roared forward. Mousse felt his hair stand on end as he watched the pair crash through the vegetation. "No! Shampoo! That's the river!" He turned away from the village and chased after the two battling giants.  
  
  
  
Shampoo screamed in fright as the water rushed up in front of her. The head of her mech was stuck under the arm of the red giant and she saw them moving at an alarming rate towards the water. "No! Stop you stupid thing!"  
  
The jets cut out just above the water at the center of the river. The pair fell into the water and sank beneath the surface.  
  
A few minutes later, Mousse rushed up with a look of horror on his face as the surface bubbled violently where the pair had vanished. "Shampoo...no..." he fell to his knees and clutched the dirt with a dark rage building up inside of him. "You bastard!" He paused and stepped back as he saw something rising up from the bottom. "What the?" A bright orange glow appeared beneath the surface of the water and he staggered back in fright. "How?" It was all he managed to say before a geyser of flame burst into the air reaching a hundred feet above the surface of the water. "Shampoo!" he cried with a faint hope in his voice.  
  
  
  
The Amazon girl managed to push off of Fei's chest and watched as he sank deep into the waters of the river. She paused and watched it sink like a rock below her. "What's happening?" she managed in shock as she glanced around. "I'm not sinking?" Her mech floated just below the surface of the deep river, she knew that the waters extended almost a thousand feet to the bottom.   
  
Fei growled angrily as several warning sirens blared around her head. She clenched her teeth in frustration and worked desperately at the controls inside the cockpit. "She may be smarter than I realized. Damn her!" The smile returned to her lips as the alarms died down slowly. "That was a smart maneuver little bug. Too bad I have to swat you. My, my this is getting interesting."  
  
Shampoo's mech turned in the water moving its arms experimentally through the water. She remained upright and didn't move much. She smiled as she realized slowly began to realize what was happening. With little effort she moved the mech forward through the water and it seemed to slide through the water effortlessly. She smirked and slowly began to move down towards the bottom. Despite the low level of light she could still see clearly as the screen suddenly took on a greenish tint. "I have you now!" A red glow greeted her as she neared the ground. "So, you're still here! I'll have my revenge you bitch, prepare to die!"  
  
"No, not just yet little bug," said a familiar voice as the red glow grew more intense. Shampoo paused and saw something unfamiliar moving towards her from below. It looked like a black and orange stream of clouds that moved through the water at an alarming rate.  
  
Not able to do anything else, Shampoo grit her teeth and prepared for the impact.  
  
  
  
  
"Stay out of my fights!" snapped Akane as she stood in the hallway with two sets of buckets in her hands.  
  
"Huh? What was that all about anyway?" said the boy in confusion.  
  
The girl turned her head away and blushed. "At the beginning of the school year Kuno made this stupid speech. He said that anyone who wants to go out with me has to defeat me in combat."  
  
"Lucky for me I guess. I already did that," commented Ranma lazily. "What about your dad. You're supposed to be an important pilot or something right? Why does he let this happen?"  
  
"He tried that once. He even sent some guards to school with me once. It worked, but I couldn't stand having them hovering around me all the time." The girl hung her head and a look of anger crossed her features again. "I told him to mind his own business and leave me alone. That was about the time they recruited Kodachi. Now I fight Kuno and his mob every morning. Although I win every day for some reason."  
  
The boy shrugged his shoulders and looked up in the air. "Well when a guy fights a girl he lets up a lot."  
  
"Hey! You should try me for real sometime!" snapped the girl in retort.  
  
"And what do you call what happened in the dojo the other day?" said Ranma with a smirk on his face.   
  
Akane looked on the ground and growled. "Jerk!"  
  
"Jeez, what the heck is your problem tomboy?" he commented under his breath.  
  
"You take that back!" cried Akane.  
  
Ranma already had his attention elsewhere though. "What the?"  
  
"Never! Never Ranma Saotome! I shall never accept your engagement to Akane Tendo!"  
  
"Oh great," muttered the pigtailed boy as the windows to the classrooms burst open revealing a large number of shocked students.  
  
"Wait! Our parents!" stammered Akane as she tried to diffuse the situation.  
  
Kuno ignored this and charged at Ranma. "Cur! Face me!" He slashed the pigtailed martial artist bucket in half as the boy dodged away from the bokuten strike.  
  
"This is no place to fight Kuno! If you want to face me, follow me!" Ranma dashed down the hall with Kuno and the student body of Furinkan close behind him. He turned and dashed out of a window.  
  
"This is the third floor!" cried Akane as she rushed up to the window.  
  
"No sweat!" commented Ranma. Kuno had followed him blindly and looked down in shock. Ranma turned his head and sighed. "Great, I didn't know the pool was there. Now I'm gonna get wet." Immediately after that he splashed into the water with Kuno landing in a belly flop directly behind him.  
  
The pigtailed boy surfaced and gasped for air before turning in search of his opponent. Kuno was floating face down in a daze in the middle of the pool. "Stupid jerk," commented Ranma as he pulled him up and out of the water.  
  
Once on the pavement Kuno awoke with a jerk. He grabbed Ranma in a bear hug. "Ranma Saotome I fight on!"  
  
"Gah! What the hell are you doing you jerk!" screamed the boy as he pushed him away.  
  
"Surely this is far enough for our battle of honor?" said Kuno with a smirk on his face as he raised his bokuten up and pointed at the boy.  
  
"Sure, whatever," snorted Ranma without much worry. He cracked his knuckles and smirked as he stared the boy down. "Let's just get this over with..."  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: The fate of Joketsuko, and Ranma beats up Kuno some more. Plus, a new threat rears its head in Tokyo.  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
URL Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/  
  
I just want to clear something up, I've gotten a few questions about it in the past. The reason Shampoo's speech is normal right now is because she's in China. She's speaking Chinese, so are Mousse, Cologne, and the rest of the Amazons. I didn't see the need to point this out since I thought it was pretty obvious, and it is. Now I'm going to tell you directly. They are speaking Chinese, not Japanese, and not English. Shampoo would not sound like a three year old in her own language.   
  
Using different quotes such as [] for Chinese for thoughts is a bad writing habit and should be avoided. Believe it or not doing that is bad English. You should always use quotation marks "" for all speech and thoughts. Any dialogue should be in quotes no matter what. It should be obvious if they are using another language. The only instance that I could see someone using something other than quotation marks to distinguish different languages is if there are two or more different languages in the same scene. Thoughts should still be in quotes, because they should be made obvious anyway. This can be accomplished by using such amazing phrases as 'he/she thought' Yes this amazing phrase can instantly tell your readers that the person is thinking and not speaking the dialogue out loud.  
  
Hopefully this will help a few people out. As well as stop people from telling me that I should distinguish different languages with different quotes. I will not, it's just bad English. I'm trying my best to avoid that.   
  
Thank you.  
  
  



	6. Default Chapter Title

Ranma: Xero  
  
Part 5  
  
Fire on Xiun Tou River.  
  
  
  
Shampoo slammed against the muddy earth at the bottom of the river. The screen in front of her face blurred as the water around her was brought to a boil from the flames that now covered the outer armor of the giant robot. She snorted in disgust as various displays lit up around her giving messages in a strange language she could not recognize. "What's happening?" she cried in frustration as the controls failed to respond in time to avoid another blast.  
  
"Come on little bug, it seems you're more in tune with that robot than I previously thought. The X-09 series was created for operating in the seas and rivers on the battlefield." Fei chuckled roughly and watched the struggling unit burn in front of him. "That fire won't do much to your armor, but it does give me an excellent beacon to see where you're hiding. As an added bonus it will mess up quite a few of your sensors as well." She giggled maniacally and shut down the transmission. As soon as the young girl's face was gone her expression became deadly calm again.   
  
Shampoo watched as the red robot stood perfectly still in the water in front of her and raised its fist up. The clawed hand began to glow again and the water boiled around the extended palm. One of the readouts on her left side began to climb rapidly and she snorted. "That must be some kind of temperature gage," she thought absently.   
  
The red unit charged forward suddenly and shot forward the claw once again. Shampoo pulled up the spear and blocked the strike again, but at the cost of her weapon. The claw lost its forward momentum as it burned through the shaft of the spear. The Amazon girl held the remains of the weapon and ended up with a rather large knife. She glared at her opponent and snarled angrily as the machine spun the chain over its head creating a glowing red circle as the claw left a trail of light as it moved in a wide circle.  
  
"I've got to attack!" cried Shampoo as she pushed herself off the wall of earth that she had been pushed into yet again. The red mech countered with a slash from the chain that was easily avoided. Shampoo simply sidestepped and spun into a kick that slammed into her opponent's chest sending it reeling back.  
  
"What the hell was that?" cried Fei as she glared at the machine in front of her in shock. It was standing in a strange battle ready position again that she did not recognize. "Is this what I've heard reports about? Strange, I was expecting more."  
  
"Focus, you must focus!" said Cologne inside Shampoo's mind. She closed her eyes and was in an almost meditative state. The screams of her family and friends filled her mind as the flames of Joketsuko seemed to burn perpetually in the back of her mind. "Now! Destroy her!" said the voice of her teacher from deep inside her. She slowly opened her eyes and stared forward with a strange calm overcoming her.  
  
"I cannot allow myself to lose control."  
  
Fei paused as the transmission came in. "Lose control? Something is up!" The mech's entire body began to glow red as she powered up the defensive mechanisms to full power. "Come on insect, show me what you can do!"  
  
Shampoo had a slow realization. She had forgotten everything her Great Grandmother had taught her in this battle. She knew that the village was gone, she knew that he had killed hundreds of villagers, she also knew that she was losing badly. Her rage had consumed her completely and she knew that it would be over for her if she continued as she had. Rage was good, it made you stronger; but it must be controlled. She glared forward through the flames that still smoldered on the chest plate and paused as she flicked several switches on the console. Four yellow triangles appeared on the screen and focused on a single point ahead of her. They all pointed inward at the same point and suddenly turned red. "I've found you."  
  
Fei jumped up as the purple mech moved forward with a strange fluidity in its movements. She gasped and shifted her weight back as it slammed into her unit delivering several strong blows. She growled angrily and slashed down with the chain forcing the girl back and creating a blast of mud and bubbles as the ground was suddenly superheated. When the claw pulled back a glowing red spot of magma remained behind and she spun in desperate search of her opponent. "Damn her! How did I lose her?!" She jolted forward as she was struck from behind and screamed in frustration.  
  
Shampoo grunted in satisfaction and smiled as the red unit fell face first onto the ground. She prepared to grab its arm when it suddenly moved upwards and kicked down catching the unit in the head. The purple mech staggered back as it attempted to keep its balance.  
  
"You little bug! Can't you see you don't have the strength to hurt me!" snarled Fei with a deadly calm in her voice as the small screen came to life suddenly.  
  
Shampoo glared at the mech in front of her ignoring the transmission and charged again. This time she started with a kick to the thing's side and performed several super fast blows to it's midsection before finishing with a spinning kick to its head. The red mech stumbled back but managed to stay on its feet. The only evidence of the attack was a small dent in the chest armor.  
  
"My blows aren't strong enough," growled Shampoo in frustration as she moved back into a defensive stance.  
  
The red mech recalled its hand once again and moved forward in an open palm strike. Shampoo grunted as the sirens came to life inside the cockpit again. Her eyes went wide as a low rumbling shook the entire mech and she screamed as the red unit unleashed the flame-thrower inside its palm again while forcing her to the ground with all of its weight.  
  
"Cook! Fry you bug!" snarled the redhead.  
  
Shampoo stared forward in frustration as the interior of the unit started to grow increasingly hot with every passing second. "I've got to get her off!" she thought in desperation. She moved almost instinctually.   
  
The purple unit kicked its legs up and wrapped them around the head of the enemy unit while the hands moved from attempting to shield against the attack to planting themselves into the ground just behind he head.   
  
"What the hell are you doing bug? Just fry!" snarled Fei as she continued to press her attack despite the strange movements. Her eyes went wide with shock as the world around her seemed to spin as she was thrown headfirst into the ground by the maneuver. The purple unit's legs had pulled upwards and thrown her away and then pulled her back down.  
  
The amazon girl jumped upwards and growled in frustration. "Damn! I don't have anything strong enough to hurt that monster! What the hell am I going to do?" She paused again as the sound of something mechanical moving on the unit caught her attention again.   
  
Fei snarled in anger as she looked up at the glowing red spot on the purple unit's chest that seemed to mock her. "Little brat! I'll destroy you completely now!" She raised her palm up towards the surface and smiled as the hole began to glow with a familiar flame. "Full power! I want to cook her inside that damn thing!"  
  
  
  
Ranma Saotome stood off against the enraged kendoist next to the swimming pool and smirked. "Who says I want to marry that uncute tomboy anyway?"  
  
"Silence cur! I will not hear you speak of Akane Tendo so!" snapped Kuno angrily as he charged forward.  
  
"What the heck are you gonna do about it?" said Ranma coolly as he easily danced around the boy's strikes.  
  
"I shall smite thee!" roared the boy as he charged forward.   
  
Ranma frowned and simply lashed out in a punch. The pair passed each other and paused with their backs facing. The pigtailed boy stood up and cracked his neck lazily as he slowly walked over tot he still frozen Kuno. "Had enough yet?"  
  
"I do not concede!" muttered the boy as he fell face first onto the pavement.  
  
"Dope, you already lost," grumbled Ranma as he casually walked away from the scene.  
  
Kuno pushed himself up in a daze and looked at the boy's back. "Impossible...I cannot...lose..." with that said he fell down again passed out.  
  
"Well, that's the end of that," said Ranma cheerfully as he headed towards the doors of the school. Akane appeared around the corner and frowned at him as he walked up.  
  
"Don't bet on it, Kuno is a sore loser," she commented with a hint of anger in her voice.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," said the boy as he moved towards the front gates.  
  
"Ranma-sensei, do not take my brother so lightly. If anything he is persistent, this will not be enough to deter him from Akane Tendo," agreed Kodachi as she appeared next to the girl.  
  
"See if I care, I'm not doing this to help her you know," said the boy as he looked the both of them over before continuing on his way.  
  
"Leaving so soon?" commented Kodachi with a small smirk on her face.  
  
"School isn't over yet!" said Akane with a warning tone in her voice.  
  
"I've had enough of this place for today," grumbled the boy as he walked out of the gates.  
  
Kodachi and Akane looked at each other and blinked. They shrugged their shoulders and followed him out the front gates.  
  
  
  
  
Soun Tendo sat at the head of a large desk with several older men sitting around him. "What is the meaning of this Tendo? You said nothing of his returning to the complex?" snapped one of the old men angrily. He was a thin man wearing a wide rimmed pair of glasses. He pushed them up his nose and snorted distastefully.  
  
"You did not need to know," said Soun calmly.  
  
"What do you mean?" snarled a larger man on the opposite side of the table.  
  
"You are not the final word of this operation. I am, your funding is appreciated and I do give reports on most of what goes on here. I am in sole control of this operation here. You may be the board of directors of your corporation, but need I remind you that this is not considered a part of the company. You merely fund this operation, the technology here belongs to me."  
  
"Tendo you are treading on dangerous ground," said one of the men nearby.  
  
"You could of course pull your funding, lose any research gained by the operation, and have turn the project over to the government for funding," said Soun carefully.  
  
All of the men at the table remained quiet at this.  
  
"I have given you quite a bit of liberty here, you know of most of our projects and are given a limited amount of authority here in thanks to your grants. However many of the operations here are still considered top secret. I do not have to divulge this information too you. Nor am I required to allow the company to reap the rewards of the technology we discover here, but I do anyway. Please remember that you old men are nothing more than figureheads to me."  
  
More silence dominated the table for a long moment. "Tendo, you say that this is not part of our corporation. I can accept that, but this is something that you should not have kept from us. It's too important to our future as a company."  
  
"How so?" said Soun calmly.  
  
"Well he is one of them after all," said the fat man with a rough cough.  
  
"It could be seen as a breech of national defense if he is noticed by other parties. That puts our investment at risk," agreed the thin man calmly.  
  
"Rubbish, if not for him we would not have been able to accomplish any of what we have here. He unlocked the secrets of the technology we have here. I will not allow him to be turned away just because you are nervous. He gave us this project." Soun turned towards the window and gazed out over the city with his back turned on the men. He sighed and smiled almost absently. "I realize how much I owe you men, I also know that many of you do so only in memory of my wife, but you must understand this. I cannot allow you to force my hand on this as I have let you so many times in the past. My decision is final. Good day." He stood up and walked out of the room leaving the men alone for a long moment.  
  
The thin man pushed his glasses back up his nose again and sighed. "We all knew this day was coming. I know none of you were unaware that he was keeping things secret from us, and with good reason. I have a report from one of my inside men about one of these projects, and I promise you that it will benefit us all to remain with the project."  
  
"I doubt any of us has any real intention of leaving. It is a massive strain on our resources to keep this place up, but we do it for our own sake. The units the military uses are inferior by far to the ones we have here. We just can't make them good enough without the problem interfering again," said the fat man calmly.   
  
The eldest of the men who sat directly across from Soun stood up and addressed the table calmly. He leaned against a polished cane and spoke softly. "Don't kid yourselves about having inside men. Soun knows who they are and what they are doing, he just tolerates it. I have also seen some of the secret projects he's housing inside this place. I promise you that he already has government funding. We must watch ourselves carefully."   
  
"Agreed," said the thin man as he calmed visibly.   
  
  
  
Cologne stood in the center of the slowly dying flames and wept openly as Joketsuko burned.   
  
"Elder, I have found three more...dead," said a young girl of about fourteen as she rushed up to her side. Her arm was wrapped in a makeshift sling that was torn from her shirt. The old woman turned and looked at her.   
  
"Where at child?" her voice was gentle, almost motherly despite the pain in her eyes.  
  
"The remains of he great hall," muttered the girl halfheartedly.  
  
"So, we are all that remains of the elders?" said Sin Ku as she hobbled up beside her old friend and rival with a similar look about her.  
  
"So it seems, how many survivors have we found young one?" asked Sin Ku as she lit the cracked and charred remains of her pipe calmly.  
  
"Only twenty," said the girl sadly. She broke down into tears and attempted to hide her sorrow as she turned away and straightened her back suddenly.  
  
"Do not hide your sorrow child. We have all lost family and friends here today. We are a broken village. That red giant has accomplished what three thousand years of vicious Chinese governments could not." Cologne hopped to her side and rested her hand on her shoulder. "We will have our revenge yet, Shampoo still lives." Almost in answer to her a pillar of flames erupted into the sky in the distance.  
  
Sin Ku walked up again and spoke up. "Several of the patrols returned from their post outside the village now that the wall of fire has died down. That accounts for ten more. The north patrol was ambushed and perished bravely though."  
  
The old woman nodded and watched the pillar disappear in a cloud of smoke. "Shampoo is by the river at the moment."  
  
"Yes, I hope for her success, however that does not change the fact that our once proud village has become nothing but a small band. We cannot survive another attack such as this one."  
  
Cologne nodded and sighed. "That is a problem we must deal with later. Find what survivors we can and evacuate the village."  
  
The old woman nodded silently and moved away.  
  
  
  
  
Fei snarled as she blasted upward. The purple unit was enveloped in a jet of fire. "Die!"  
  
"I don't think so!" growled Shampoo.   
  
Fei's eyes went wide as she saw a white light from inside her flame jet that moved towards her at an alarming rate. "No!"  
  
Shampoo burst from the flames and landed behind the red unit kneeling silently. The purple unit rose to its feet and turned back to face the red demon again. In her right hand was what looked like a lance of pure white light giving the area surrounding it a surreal glow.  
  
Fei growled as the right arm of her unit floated down to the ground beside her. A long slash appeared marring the chest armor that sparked with energy. "It seems I have underestimated you girl."  
  
"I don't care," replied the girl with a cold angry tone to her voice as she raised the weapon into a ready position.  
  
"We'll meet again!" snarled Fei as she cut her transmission.  
  
"No! Damn you!" screamed the amazon as the red unit shot upwards like a rocket and blasted out of the water. "Come back and die!" She lunged forward barely missing the legs as she attempted to slash out at her enemy. The purple unit landed roughly on the ground and pushed itself up onto its hands and knees.  
  
  
  
Mousse stood in awe as the enemy blasted up out of the water and streaked away across the sky. He looked forward at the now still waters and held his breath hoping desperately. "Shampoo..." he muttered with tears forming in his eyes.  
  
After several long moments that seemed like hours he paused as a small disturbance appeared on the river in front of him. He stepped back in shock as the purple unit walked out of the water holding the glowing lance in its hand. Steam rose from the body as it slowly broke the surface and walked onto the bank of the river with a limping stride. Finally after it moved towards him on the edge of the river it stopped and fell to its knees. The thing hissed with heat and the boy was forced to back away from the giant as it stopped completely.   
  
Mousse rushed forward and attempted to climb up to the cockpit. He grabbed the left leg for purchase and screamed in pain as his hand burst into pain followed by a loud hissing sound. He staggered back and clutched his hand in agony as the skin blistered from the burns he had received. He paused and stepped back staring at the thing angrily. "Shampoo! Can you hear me!?"  
  
After several seconds a familiar hiss filled the air as the cockpit opened slowly revealing the girl inside. She stepped forward and jumped down, staggering as she hit the ground. She managed to keep her balance and steadied herself slowly. The girl was covered in sweat and had a hard determined stare etched into her features. She turned and seemed to notice him standing near her before she collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.  
  
"Shampoo!"  
  
  
  
  
In the skies above Mars, the Admiral sat in his throne high above the bridge of the Judicator. "What is your report?"  
  
"Mission aborted due to heavy damage," said the gruff voice over the intercom.   
  
"That is unfortunate," said the man calmly as he lifted a glass up to his lips and drank.  
  
"They use a style of combat I've never seen before. I can see why none of the scouts we've sent here returned," said the voice over the intercom coldly.  
  
"Most interesting, I take it you will send a full report?"  
  
"Yes, I'm making repairs on the moon base now," said the voice with a hint of anger. "I'd like to analyze it for myself if you don't mind."  
  
"Very well," said the man calmly. "Is Siore there?"  
  
"Yes, Siore will be briefed before she heads out. Although, I'm sure she's familiar with this due to her encounters before."  
  
"Siore never was very observant, see to it that she is at least informed," said the man with a heavy sigh. "That is why I sent you after all."  
  
"Yes Admiral," said the voice in reply.  
  
"Do not fail me again," said the Admiral in a cool voice.  
  
"For the Empire," growled the voice.  
  
"Yes," said the man as he cut off the link. "For the Empire."  
  
TBC...  
  
Next Time: Danger in Nerima! Blackheart Attacks!  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
URL Http://www.geocities.com/misatira  
  



	7. Default Chapter Title

  
Ranma: Xero  
  
Part 6  
  
Blackheart  
  
  
Fei walked through mechanics and around the feet of the gigantic mechs that lined the wall along the hanger bay of the moon base. She smirked as she neared the back portion that housed the elite models. Several large mechs of varying colors lined the back wall of the immense hall. The standards were easily half the size of these monsters and were all painted black with red highlights. The ones who stood before him looked like metal gods commanding an army.   
  
"Fei, finally decided to grace us with your presence?" asked a blonde woman as she strolled up to him lazily from the side of a metallic gold mech. She had an odd smirk on her face as she draped her arms around her and kissed her deeply. Her skin color was a slightly lighter shade of blue than most of the other people bustling around her.   
  
"Not now Kai, I'm here on business," muttered the redhead quietly.  
  
"Well you're always on business," replied the blonde woman in a huff.   
  
"That's part of my job..." started Fei in what was obviously an old argument.  
  
Kai placed a finger over her lips and giggled. "Just don't keep me waiting tonight."  
  
Fei looked at her coolly and nodded. "I have to go." She continued on her way and stopped at the black unit that was housed near the back corner. She sighed and walked forward with a stern look on her face. "Siore! What the hell are you doing?"  
  
The woman in question turned her head and smiled darkly at the redhead. She had long brown hair tied in a ponytail and two painted white marks on her cheeks. She placed a tool down and turned away from the work she was doing inside the chestplate of the giant mech. She walked down the length of its thigh and paused on the knee calling down to the redhead. "I heard about what happened to your arm Fei. Those weak little girls aren't as easy to kill as you had thought."  
  
"Shut up. I didn't even use the rattler on her. I underestimated her and it won't happen again," snarled the woman in retort.  
  
"Hah! The great ace pilot, squashed by a...I believe the term used was 'bug'?" snapped the woman as she jumped down off of the leg.  
  
"I take it you've seen the reports then?" snapped the redhead sharply.  
  
"Of course, I wouldn't miss a chance to watch you lose so badly old friend," replied the woman curtly.  
  
Fei broke into a smile at this and nodded. "In any case, did you notice anything unusual?"  
  
"You mean besides firewall getting its tail kicked?" quipped the woman.  
  
"Come with me," snorted the woman calmly as she turned away and beckoned her to follow with her hand.  
  
  
  
  
Inside a small meeting room Siore watched the battle and frowned. "This is nothing I haven't seen before."  
  
"You still don't realize do you? She's not using the weapon in her hand," noted Fei as he pointed at the screen.  
  
"What? That's absurd!" retorted the woman calmly.  
  
"Then watch it again. Look here, she clearly landed more blows with her feet and fist than with the spear. It wasn't until the end of the battle that she summoned the lance."  
  
"What the hell does that mean? Why should I care?" snapped Siore with a hint of annoyance in her voice.  
  
"I think these people have Shikari, or at least part of it. I can't be sure until I've seen more." Fei scratched her chin and stared at the screen with a strange hunger in his eyes.  
  
"Don't be absurd, that's only a legend." Siore didn't sound too convinced as she watched the screen intently.  
  
"Unarmed combat, more powerful than any seen in the galaxy. It's said to be an art form, almost like a dance in action." Fei's gaze drifted off for a moment. "It is said that with Shikari one can defeat an opponent many times stronger than one's self with only pure skill."  
  
"Bah, unarmed combat. I'll take a good blaster any day of the week over that rubbish."  
  
"Rubbish? An X-09 overcoming a Z model unit? I think not. There are records that such an art existed on our own planet many centuries ago."  
  
"That art was killed off if you recall. The emperor at the time nicely did away with it, besides, that's just a fairytale."  
  
"I'm beginning to wonder Siore..." commented Fei with a heavy sigh. "Still, this is not something to be taken lightly. Use the cannons when you go out this time, don't try to take them out with that damn whip again. Long range weapons only this trip."  
  
"You think I haven't tried that already! Those girls humiliated me!" snarled the woman in retort.  
  
"No, I know you haven't tried that. I read the mission reports and watched the files," replied the redhead calmly as she shut down the screen and turned on the lights. "Don't disappoint me Siore. The Admiral's patience is growing thin." She turned and left the room leaving the woman behind seething at her seat.  
  
  
  
Akane Tendo was not having a good day.  
  
"Ranma Saotome! Your dark sorcery will hold Akane Tendo no more! Prepare to die!" screamed Kuno as the pair walked into the gates.  
  
"What the hell is this? Catch a clue Kuno!" snapped the pigtailed boy as he simply kicked the boy in the face and sent him flying into a wall headfirst.   
  
"Idiots," grumbled the girl angrily. It had been this way for almost two weeks now, every day. She brushed past her fiancee and moved towards the school.  
  
"Nice going Ranma," commented Nabiki snidely.   
  
"What did I do?" said the boy in confusion.  
  
"Akane Tendo does not see the need for your protection Ranma-sensei," said Kodachi with a small shrug as she walked by.  
  
"Why the hell would I need to protect that gorilla in a dress? Kuno attacked me!" replied the boy defensively.  
  
"Jerk!" called Akane as she spun around at the steps of the school. Ranma was laid out in the schoolyard with a book bag stuck in his face.  
  
"Now what did I do?" wondered the boy as he lay there.  
  
  
  
"Tendo, this is not going well," said Genma with a heavy sigh as he stopped the tape and leaned back in a chair.  
  
"Perhaps Kasumi would be better suited for the task?" said Soun hopefully.  
  
"Somehow I doubt that. These two obviously care for each other. Why they've been engaged for two whole weeks! There should practically be grandchildren on the way!" lamented Genma.  
  
"Agreed, perhaps they're just camera shy? What makes you think they care for each other Saotome?" Soun blinked in surprise as his friend's statement hit him.  
  
"Well, Akane seems to be doing well in her training. Why she showed her appreciation for my son's work by making him lunch twice this week! If that isn't love I don't know what is!"  
  
Soun froze in surprise. "Ranma ate two of my daughter's meals?!"  
  
"Well, not exactly ate..." said Genma with a few drops of sweat forming on his brow.  
  
"Saotome! You're absolutely right! They must be in love!" exclaimed the mustached man as he stood up from his seat with tears in his eyes. He calmed almost immediately. "We do have pressing matters to attend though old friend."  
  
Genma turned his head away from the blank screen. "Huh?"  
  
"We must prepare for your wife's arrival," said Soun with a friendly smile. "After all, she will want to be introduced to her new daughter in law after all."  
  
Genma paused for a moment and adjusted his glasses. "I suppose she would. She hasn't seen her son in a few years either."  
  
"Agreed. It should be quite a reunion, but we must be cautious," said Soun carefully.  
  
"How so Tendo?"  
  
"Don't play dumb Saotome, the situation here is delicate. Not even you are allowed full access to our facilities here. Even my daughters are restricted from certain areas here."  
  
"I see. One question Tendo, how close to that project are we anyway?"  
  
"Dangerously close. These are treacherous times old friend. We must be more cautious now than ever so as not to reveal our position to the enemy."  
  
Genma nodded sagely and did not press the matter. "Where are our children right now anyway?"  
  
"Where else would my daughter be? The training hall," said Soun as he began to shuffle through a stack of papers.  
  
"What about my son?"  
  
"..."  
  
  
  
  
"Where the heck am I?" grumbled Ranma in frustration. In his hands was a map of the building. It was twenty five stories high and encompassed the area of four city blocks at the base. That didn't include the ten stories of underground rooms. Various doors that led to shut down old labs and safety bunkers lined the hall where he walked. "Maybe I got off on the wrong floor?" He paused and looked back down the darkened hallway again. "I don't even know how to get back."  
  
For several more minutes he stumbled through storage rooms and many unmarked doors looking for a stairwell or some kind of land mark. The only light he had were a few maintenance lights that lined the walls every few hundred feet. "I don't think this place is even on the map!" He growled in frustration and paused for a moment. He couldn't even remember when it had gotten this way, the last thing he could remember was walking through a few desolate offices.  
  
In front of him was a large door with a black symbol on it. He didn't recognize the warning and shifted uncomfortably. It looked like a half circle half star. "What the? He pushed open the door hoping for another elevator or at least some stairs. What he found nearly took his breath away.  
  
It stood over five stories tall, dust covered everything in the room but the gigantic figure that was covered in scaffolding with computer equipment scattered across the open floor in front of it. Various wires and tubes were connected to various points on its body. His jaw dropped, the thing looked positively evil. It was jet black and looked almost like it was wearing samurai armor of some kind. It had a horn protruding from its forehead and two wing-like protrusions from its back. He stepped back and leaned against the wall. "What is this?" His heart raced as he looked at it and a strange uncomfortable feeling formed in his belly. He could only feel death in the air around him.  
  
He moved closer and frowned as he noticed a strange claw like symbol that looked like writing on the thing's right chestplate. It was a bright red color and stood out even in the minimal light. He moved his lips as he realized he knew what it meant. "Xero..." He shook his head and tore his gaze away. "How? How did I know that?" He almost jumped out of the room as he caught something out of the corner of his eye.  
  
He slammed the door behind him and clutched his chest gasping for breath as he stood unable to move against the doorframe. He closed his eyes and attempted to control himself for a moment before falling to his knees. An unfamiliar light shone down the hall almost blinding him. He shielded his eyes and shied away from the light as two men ran up to him and paused several feet away.  
  
"What are you doing down here?" snapped one of them sharply.  
  
Ranma paused and looked at them dumbly.  
  
  
  
"The guards found him on the eleventh level basement," said the man on the computer screen.  
  
"How is that possible?" snarled Soun angrily at the man. "All access to that floor is restricted!"  
  
"Normally the elevators don't allow access to that floor without a top level security card sir. They were being serviced and there was a malfunction. He was trying to get to the tenth floor and find your daughter. The surveillance cameras do coincide with his story," said the man with a shrug.   
  
"This is unacceptable! How far down did he get?" said Soun as he relaxed slightly and fell back into the high backed leather chair behind his desk.  
  
"We found him in the back hallway under the training facility," said the man as he checked a report idly.  
  
"That's near..." said Soun to himself with his eyes growing wide.  
  
"Pardon sir?" asked the man.  
  
"Nothing, continue." Soun poured himself a cup of sake and his frowned deepened.  
  
"According to the boy he was looking for a stairwell or something. The found him before he went into the room according to him."  
  
"There aren't any security cameras on that level are there?" asked Soun evenly.  
  
"No sir, as I recall, you specifically ordered that. No recording devices of any kind," said the man with another shrug.  
  
"I want them installed in the hallways only. Tomorrow, and no outside contractors on this one. I want only trusted and security cleared personnel working on it."  
  
"You're the boss," replied the man with a smile. He was obviously relieved because the order excluded him.  
  
  
  
"Man, you really got daddy riled up," said Nabiki with a smirk as she sat down with Ranma in the cafeteria. "Congratulations."  
  
"Ha ha," commented the boy sourly.  
  
"Really Ranma, I'm quite proud. It's almost as bad as the time Daddy thought I was fooling around with one of the guys in the financial department," said the girl with a little too much sugar in her voice.  
  
"Did you want something?" grumbled Ranma.  
  
"Other than to tease you a little? No not really," said the girl as she started to eat.  
  
"How mad is he?" asked Ranma with a slightly worried look about him.  
  
"At you? Not at all, it turns out this was a mechanical failure of some kind in the elevator system," said the girl sweetly.  
  
"Great, well I guess that's that then," said the boy as he started to stand up.  
  
"You saw something," said Nabiki calmly.  
  
Ranma froze and slowly turned to look at her. He quickly regained his composure and turned away. "Just a lot of empty storage rooms and labs n' stuff." He quickly moved on and discarded his plate before walking out of the room.  
  
Nabiki smiled to herself and began to eat slowly. "I knew it." Finally she had a chance to find out what daddy was hiding down there.   
  
  
  
  
Ranma walked towards his room at a slow pace. He knew what he had seen down there. Those so-called storage rooms weren't storage rooms at all. They were disguised bunks, every room down there was dust free despite the fact that they looked so old. He had a strange feeling he didn't want to know what was going on down there. Still he found himself wondering what could be going on, and who was living down there?  
  
That wasn't what bothered him the most though. "Those eyes, I thought I saw a red light..." he shook his head and dismissed the matter. "Must have been a reflection or something..."  
  
  
  
"That's right. Security cameras," said Soun calmly. "They'll only be operated during the day of course, a recycling tape will cover the evening hours."  
  
"I suppose. You know what would have happened if he had gone to far don't you Tendo?" said the elderly man who's face filled the screen in front of him.  
  
"I am very much aware," said Soun calmly. "He only made it as far as hangar seven anyway."  
  
"I want that hangar sealed off," snapped the old man.  
  
"We discussed this," started Soun.  
  
"Yes, I know. Out of the question, right?" The old man made a disgusted sound and dismissed the matter.  
  
"About those elevators..."  
  
"When you put that much electronic crap on one thing something's bound to break down occasionally. It's normal," interrupted the old man.  
  
"Very well," said Soun with a heavy sigh. He cut off the transmission and turned to look out his window at the sunset.  
  
  
  
  
"How much did you see boy?" asked Genma as the pair sat together in their room.  
  
"Enough to know I don't want to know," replied Ranma calmly.  
  
"That's a good answer. Just keep that attitude and we'll be fine," said his father approvingly.  
  
"Let's just go to bed all right?"  
  
"Fine boy."  
  
  
  
  
The next morning at Furinkan went pretty much as the last two weeks had gone. Ranma sat at his desk fuming.  
  
"Don't that jerk give up? I'm getting sick of this!"   
  
"I warned you jerk!" said Akane with an amused smile on her lips.  
  
Ranma paused and looked at her for a moment before turning away with a slight blush. "She's cute when she smiles that way..." He was quickly brought back to reality though as the teacher walked into the room and began the day.  
  
  
  
  
During the break Akane walked into the bathroom and paused. "What are you doing in here?"  
  
Kodachi turned and looked at her. "This is the ladies room isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, but..."  
  
"I came in here to speak with you," said the girl as she gave in finally.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Its about Ranma-sensei," started the girl calmly.   
  
"That jerk," grumbled Akane.  
  
"Ho ho ho ho ho ho! Why Akane Tendo, I do believe you're angry!"   
  
"He makes me so angry! He can be so nice, and then completely screw it up! I swear he tries to be this way!" snarled the angry girl.  
  
"What did our honorable sensei do this time Tendo?" said the girl with a small smile appearing on her face.  
  
"He was being a jerk as usual, so I clobbered him again that's what! Now I've got a grass stain on my new uniform!"  
  
"Most unbecoming," commented Kodachi lazily. "Still, if he was not your fiancee..."  
  
"Still what?" snapped Akane sharply as she gave the girl a warning glare.  
  
"Don't be so snappy with me Tendo, we both know who would wi.." she was cut off by a loud beeping on her belt. She stopped and looked at the pager that rested on her side and then noticed Akane was doing the same.  
  
"Well, it appears duty calls."  
  
"Shit," agreed Akane with a scowl on her face. "It had better not be who I think it is."  
  
The pair rushed out of the room and jogged out of the room. As they reached the doors of the school, the sirens began to sound. The students looked up and around in surprise, a few of them watched the two girls rush out of the school yard and put everything together.  
  
Ranma stood up and began to follow them. "Hey! What's going on? Why are all of these sirens going off?"  
  
Kuno walked up next to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "And so the mighty tigress rushes off to defend her lair. Come Saotome, it is time we retired to the shelter."  
  
The pigtailed boy whirled around in a defensive stance and frowned. "What the heck do you...huh?"  
  
"I do not seek battle Saotome. I would only be distracted by worry. Akane Tendo goes off to fight off the enemies of Japan, and the world. We can only pray. Even the mighty sword of the Blue Thunder himself cannot withstand such odds as she now faces." The boy quietly turned and walked towards the building following behind the rest of the students.  
  
"The hell!" cried Ranma as he finally figured out what Kuno had said to him. He turned towards the gates and started to jog after the girls.  
  
"Saotome! You are not excluded from class because of alien invasion! Get back here!" cried a familiar voice from behind him.  
  
The pigtailed boy stopped in mid run and turned to see his teacher standing behind him with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
"Now," finished the man as he pointed towards the door.  
  
Ranma looked over his shoulder one last time and saw the two girls entering a black car that had stopped to pick them up. He struggled with the dilemma for a moment and looked at the teacher again. "Sorry." He jumped away following the vehicle.  
  
  
  
  
Siore always hated this part of the mission. The G-forces pushed her body upwards as she fell towards the ground. The impact was the worst part, it didn't hurt thanks to the design of the delivery unit, but it always made her stomach churn. As the smoke cleared and her sensors came on line she surveyed the area around her. It was an urban area, somewhere in the city near her target. The shattered remains of the entry pod lay around her in ruins in the middle of a large crater created in the concrete around her. She smiled slightly as the dizziness wore off. "And now the fun begins."   
  
The leg of the black unit slid open and a tube of metal slid out. She grabbed it and held it casually at her side. "Oh, not here yet? Well, I guess I'll just have to keep myself occupied!" The hulking black monster turned slowly and faced one of the nearby buildings. She slashed the cylinder at an angle and a long tendril of energy formed causing whatever it touched to explode violently. A long, deep scar appeared in the side of the structure and the street below was littered with debris. "Come on you red bitch. I'll show you why I'm called Blackheart!"  
  
She walked down the busy street with a steely smirk on her face as she stomped on cars and pedestrians ruthlessly as she moved towards her destination. Even small buildings were not spared as she crashed through the center of the city. She paused for a moment as she looked down and saw a woman desperately pushing a baby carriage ahead of her as fast as she could. Siore smiled and continued forward feeling a satisfying crunch beneath her feet as she went. "I could fly, but this is so much more fun! Ha ha!"  
  
"You bitch I'll kill you!" screamed a familiar voice over the communications system.  
  
  
  
  
Akane could not believe what she had just seen the evil giant do. Rage filled her as maneuvered the massive red giant's decent and stopped dead in front of her opponent. Immediately the blade of energy formed from her hand and she snarled viciously.   
  
"Well, look who's here. Care to join in my little party?" said Siore calmly.  
  
"Akane, you were right. It is her after all," said Kodachi as she landed behind the enemy.  
  
"She dies this time!" snarled Akane. It was obvious the only thing keeping her from attacking was shocked rage.  
  
"Calm down Akane, we need to move her away from the peasants," warned the girl sharply.  
  
"I think I like it here," commented Siore as she thrust her fist into a nearby skyscraper sending debris flying in every direction. Kodachi gasped as the top half of the building toppled and slammed into Akane's torso forcing the girl back into a smaller building. The red unit was relatively undamaged by the blow, but it was a shock none the less. Akane tensed up and glared at her opponent giving her a low growl. "Now, let's begin shall we. We're going to play a new game. It's called, how many missiles do I have in my chest?" The two chest plates slid open revealing rows and rows of round red lumps.  
  
Akane staggered back and became deathly silent as she saw the weapons were pointed directly at her.  
  
"This is new," commented Kodachi with a slight shaking to her voice.  
  
  
  
Ranma rushed towards home across the rooftops of Tokyo and paused as the ground shook slightly. Several large explosions could be seen in the distance towards the center of town. He shook his head and continued on his way towards the complex. "Oh man, this again?"  
  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: Battle in Tokyo! Akane and Kodachi vs. Siore!  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
URL: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/  
  



	8. Default Chapter Title

Ranma Xero  
  
Part 7  
  
Invasion!  
  
  
Ranma rushed up to the security gate in front of the complex and frowned as a group of security guards stood in front of him with weapons drawn. "Halt!"  
  
The boy paused and sighed as he fumbled through his pockets for a moment and pulled out a security card. The lead guard inspected it for a moment and waved him through the gates while watching the horizon.   
  
Ranma rushed through the growing numbers of armed men who emerged from the building and entered the front doors. He passed through several large groups of uniformed workers as they moved about excitedly. Finally he reached the elevator. He glanced at the screen and pushed the button to the floor he wished to go.   
  
"Security clearance required, please state name and destination," said a pleasant female voice.   
  
"Ranma Saotome, command center," said the boy with a hint of irritation in his voice. He felt his body shift into female form as several screens flashed across the monitor.   
  
"Cleared."  
  
  
  
Soun Tendo glanced at the doors as they opened from his seat. "What are you doing here son?"  
  
Ranma walked onto the raised balcony where her father and Soun sat watching a large movie theater sized screen that took up the entire wall opposite them. Various technicians worked at the computers and consoles that filled the room. "You think I'm going to stay in school for this?"  
  
Soun wasn't really paying attention to her any longer. He watched the screen in what seemed like calculated interest.   
  
Genma was standing next to him watching intently as well. He turned towards his son and frowned. "Sit down and shut up then."  
  
Ranma nodded and walked up next to her father.  
  
The black units chest plate opened revealing rows of missiles on the screen in front of them.  
  
Soun jumped up suddenly with a worried expression on his face. "No! Damn them!"  
  
One of the female technicians spoke up. "The heart rate of both pilots just jumped sir."  
  
"Good, that means their adrenaline just kicked in," commented Ranma lazily.  
  
Genma nodded in agreement, but never took his eyes away from the screen.  
  
Another one of the technicians spoke up suddenly. He was a nerdy looking man in his twenties; he turned in his chair and had a hard expression on his face. "Two more landing pods just hit about a mile outside the complex."  
  
"Here they come," said another man nearby with tension in his voice.  
  
A smaller screen appeared on the large screen in the right bottom corner. Two ships had landed in what appeared to be a field nearby the complex, the back end opened and several large groups of armed men emerged from them. They all had blue skin and black body armor; they carried various weapons in their hands, mostly firearms of some kind.  
  
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
Akane jumped back as the small red explosive devices shot towards her. The red unit rolled away as explosions ripped through the air around her. She was thrown back as three of them managed to connect and sent into the side of a building.  
  
"Damn it!" screamed the girl in frustration as she staggered back to her feet. The energy blades on her hands blasted to life and she crossed her arms in front of her as another volley of the missiles exploded in her face almost sending her back into the crushed remains of the building again. She managed to stay on her feet this time and growled as light damage reports flashed on the screen in front of her.  
  
Siore snarled as she pummeled the unit yet again. "Die!" She felt the robot jerk suddenly and was pulled back suddenly as the unit's arm was suddenly forced back.  
  
"You forget about me? How rude," commented Kodachi as she snagged the enemy's arm with her ribbons and pulled back. The flexible metal strips recoiled into her arms as the black unit staggered back for a moment before regaining its balance.  
  
"I'll take you both on!" screamed the alien woman as she raised both her arms parallel to her body. The unit's fists shot away taking each of her enemies in the chest and forcing them back.   
  
Akane screamed in rage at the attack and kept her balance, the red unit hunched over and placed a hand on the ground burning a deep hole in the sidewalk as it did because of the energy discharge from her fists. She rose slowly and snarled angrily. "You'll pay for that!"  
  
Siore chuckled to herself and jumped for the red unit. Her fist seemed to fly back into place on the empty wrists and met the unit in mid air. "Die!"  
  
"Not today!" screamed Akane as she lashed up in an uppercut that caught the enemy in her chestplate leaving a long scar and throwing her to the ground on her back.  
  
Kodachi leapt into action at the momentary weakness and lashed outward with the ribbons again. Sparks flew from the exposed metal as she attacked the thing's chest as it lay prone on the ground.   
  
Siore snarled angrily again and raised her right fist towards the offending unit. This time the fist seemed to fold into itself revealing a rather nasty looking cannon. "Back off!"  
  
Kodachi yelped in surprise and managed to shift aside as the energy blast that the enemy shot out missed her by a few feet. She felt the frame of the unit shake as the energy wave passed by and screamed in frustration as she attempted to regain her balance after the awkward dodging maneuver.   
  
Akane rushed forward as Siore shot her beam and kicked the thing in the chest further damaging a nearby building as the enemy slammed into the outer wall from the impact. "Just die!" She punched forward and took the thing across its face sending shards of metal into the street and pushing it further down the road.  
  
"Akane! We have to get her away from here!" cried Kodachi as she steadied herself on one of the buildings and took up a position beside her comrade.   
  
-------------------------------------------  
  
Ranma paused as the wave of blue skinned invaders met with the security forces outside the complex. Very faint gunshots could be heard from outside the building despite the silent feed of the battle on the screen. She turned her attention back to the screen and frowned.  
  
"What the hell is she doing out there?" she snapped.  
  
"Quiet son," snapped Soun as he gripped the edge of the table where he sat.  
  
"Like hell! She's forgetting everything we taught her! Look at how she's charging in like a gorilla or something! Let me talk to her!" the redhead met Soun's glare evenly and the man turned his head away.  
  
"You can speak with her after the battle," he said finally.  
  
Ranma turned away in disgust and glanced back at the screen. She snorted and started to walk towards the doors.  
  
"Where the hell are you going boy?" snarled Genma as he reached for his son.  
  
"I need to work off some of this stupid tomboy's attitude when she gets back," said Ranma in a dark tone as she entered the elevator.  
  
Soun looked back at her in surprise for a moment. Genma put his hand on the man's shoulder and forced him to sit down.   
  
"Believe it or not Tendo, I was just thinking the same thing."  
  
One of the technicians jumped out of his seat in frustration. "Sir! We're taking unacceptable losses! Where the hell are they? Unit's four and five reporting casualties, we're not pushing them back!"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Ranma frowned as she stood in the elevator. She punched one of the walls leaving a small dent in the metal surface and growled angrily. "Damn her, she's going to get herself killed out there." She stared at the control panel for the elevator and snorted. "What the hell."  
  
----------------------------------  
  
"Ryoken! Get your ass down!" screamed Toroya as he pulled the man back behind a large pile of debris in the battle outside the complex. They were still a good distance from the complex, but the enemy had them pinned down. Several loud blasts were heard from the other side and small pieces of rock and dust filled the air as the enemy fire hit the cover.  
  
"Sir! Six and seven can't get around them, we're on our own for now!" screamed one of the men with a small radio in his hands.  
  
"Shit! We're pinned down! Suck it up! If you boys want to get home to your families tonight we're going to have to hold out here for a while. Give me a sit rep! Ammo count now! I want all those rifles hot and ready!"  
  
"Damn! They should be here by now!" snarled one of the men bitterly as he fumbled with a clip.   
  
"We can't count on that son!" snapped Toroya.  
  
Something hit the ground and rolled just behind them. The small band of men turned and paled at what they saw. "Grenade! Move it!"  
  
Out of the blue someone opened fire from behind them as they rushed away. A huge explosion ripped behind them as they managed to move behind another large pile of debris nearby.  
  
"We all made it!" screamed one of the men in joy.  
  
"Who the hell?"  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Inside a small vehicle of some kind several soldiers sat around one another strapped into jumpseats. They moved about nervously and stared at the young but imposing looking man who stood between them. He had a snarl on his face and was dressed in camouflage fatigues like everyone else around him. A small scar marred the side of his face and he looked around him with an intense glare.  
  
"Lieutenant! I'm getting reports of heavy casualties!" cried one of the men from behind him. He was wearing a headset and was listening to a small radio.  
  
"We should have been there by now," agreed another one of the men.  
  
"Get ready, our ETA is two minutes," snapped the hard looking man. "How's Takama holding up?"  
  
"Just a flesh wound sir!" snapped a man near the doors. He was leaning forward with a look of obvious pain about him.   
  
"Too bad, you're staying here," snapped the man firmly. "Lock and load men, our destination is in sight and it doesn't look any better than the last time."  
  
The group of men gave off a short bark in reply.  
  
------------------------------  
  
Akane snarled as she kicked out again and managed to avoid another of the massive energy bursts that the enemy was shooting towards her. She rushed forward and slammed her fist forward taking the thing in the chest.  
  
Siore screamed in anger as her attacks repeatedly missed shattering the buildings and businesses around them. "How? How are they doing this?" she snapped bitterly. She snarled and braced herself for battle yet again. The red unit had taken several hits already and had some heavy, but mostly superficial damage. The black unit only had a few dents and scratches. Hers was not in such good shape. The left arm was only functioning halfway and her missile supply was now gone. They were nothing but concussion missiles, mostly for weakening the armor of her enemies, or giving support to ground troops.  
  
Kodachi smirked, although Akane's unit had seen better days, they had managed to move Blackheart to the edge of the city. She was slowly and steadily being pushed back. With an almost fluid grace she thrust her arm forward and shot out her ribbon again catching the enemy in her chestplate yet again. The metal strip dug deep into the armor and flashed as the friction created sparks showered the ground below again before she retracted them again. The jets under her feet flared to life again and pushed her forward into what appeared to be a shoulder tackle. She passed by the enemy seeming to miss as the black unit shifted sideways to avoid the strike.  
  
"You got her!" cried Akane triumphantly as she rushed towards Siore and dug her fist into the enemy's side.   
  
Siore snorted in disgust. "She missed! I know she did!" She felt an impact from beside her and turned to see the red unit boring a hole into her side with her energy blade. She lashed out to retaliate with her elbow and managed to knock her away. Unfortunately Kodachi had recovered, she raised her other arm to block the sharp metal strip and gasped as she saw that her arm was now gone. She looked down and saw it lying on the ground below just before her head was rocked back as she was struck yet again. She cursed as the screen in front of her began to distort. "I've done my job here, returning to base," she conceded and flipped off the communicator.  
  
Akane lunged forward as she realized what was happening. The black unit turned her back on both of them and two large holes opened up on her back revealing two large jets. "No! Get back here!" She was thrown back by the blast as the enemy shot into the sky. "Damn her!"  
  
-----------------------------------  
  
Toroya lifted the radio to his ear and frowned. "Thanks for the cover stranger, what unit you with?"  
  
"I'm not," said the female voice on the other end. "Got two of the bastards for ya though."  
  
"Pardon?" said the man in shock.  
  
"Check out your right side," said the strange girl.  
  
Toroya did and smiled. "Whoever you are, I like you."  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"What are they up to?" snarled the commander of the Xoenthropie unit as he looked at the crop of rocks where they had the small band of men trapped. He had managed to get one of his men close enough to deliver a grenade, but they had proved smarter than he originally thought. Somehow they managed to get someone in another, larger pile of debris to lay down cover fire while the escaped. Two of his men went down in the unexpected maneuver. His biggest problem was how they managed that; there was no cover between the two spots. A low rumbling caught his attention and he glanced back at the pinned men. "What the hell?"  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Toroya grinned madly as he charged forward. Somehow the girl had managed to get them close enough to the armored transport unit that hey had been cut off from before. In the excitement he had almost forgotten it was there. He shifted gears again and bore down on the enemy unit as they rushed away in a panic blasting uselessly at the side of the monstrosity. It was unarmed, but served his purpose well. Quickly he unlatched the hatch above him and jammed the stick forward with his foot as he climbed out on top of the transport and rushed away. The similar transport that the enemy had been using for cover took the blow full force and rolled onto its side.  
  
As the enemy panicked the humans took immediate advantage of the situation and rushed from behind the rocks opening up on anything that was blue and moved. The Xoenthropies fell and rushed away in retreat back towards the main force. A small firefight ensued that lasted only a few moments. Several of the blue skinned men rushed away across the fields with one or two of them falling occasionally under the fire of Toroya and his men.  
  
"We got those sons of bitches!" screamed Ryoken triumphantly. He paused and looked at what was coming towards him. His face fell suddenly and he broke into a run back towards the cover.   
  
Toroya followed the man's gaze and paled. "Fall back! Now damn it!"   
  
Three more armored transports were picking up what remained of the unit and were boring down on them. One of the bulky metal transports started to bear down on him and he pushed himself as hard as he could, a deep fear filled him as he realized it would not be enough.  
  
That was when the black metal monster seemed to explode on its own behind him. He was thrown forward by the blast and rolled across the ground. He flipped back onto his back with a dazed look and stared at the burning tank for a moment as he slowly began to realize his men were cheering. He turned his head and saw another of the units explode in a ball of flame. "What the?"  
  
A large green airborne military transport landed in front of him. It looked like an oversized cross between a helicopter and a jet. He shook his head and dusted himself off as he stood up. The door to the transport opened revealing a smug looking man with a scar on his cheek. "You're late."  
  
"Yeah, but I always get there," said the man calmly as the men poured out of the transport behind him.  
  
------------------------------------  
  
Soun rested back in his chair as the battle turned with the arrival of the Japanese Self-Defense Force. The invaders turned away and rushed back to their transports. He smiled darkly as a few of the ground transports exploded before reaching the airborne units that would take them back into space.  
  
"It's about time," commented Genma lazily.  
  
"Sir the commander wishes to speak with you," said one of the men.  
  
"Put him on," said Soun with a small nod.  
  
The technician flipped several switches and an older looking man appeared on the screen in front of them in formal military uniform. "Tendo."  
  
"You're late Korta," said the man in reply.  
  
"We ran into another, smaller force south of here. They were planning on using this as a distraction and get in through the back," said the man with a light smile appearing on his face. "We stopped them."  
  
"I suppose that would have worked," commented Soun. It was unclear whether or not he meant it as a joke.  
  
"Probably so," said the man with a shrug.  
  
"Well we are thankful for your efforts yet again old friend."  
  
"I'm glad to hear it," said the man with his formality returning again.  
  
"We will of course offer out hospitality to you and your men," said Soun with a slightly diplomatic tone about him.  
  
"We gladly accept," said the man with his grin returning again.  
  
"I look forward to it old friend."  
  
------------------------------  
  
Ranma jumped out from behind her cover and smirked at the celebrating men. She slung the firearm across her shoulder with practiced ease and jumped down.  
  
"So, you're the one who saved our asses out there. Who are you?" said Toroya with more than a little surprise on his face.  
  
"Ranma Saotome," replied the girl with a shrug.  
  
"I hate to ask, but what are you doing out here?" said the man with a sudden caution about him.  
  
"I'm training Akane Tendo and Kodachi Kuno in martial arts. Don't look at me that way, there's no way I'm going to sit out on a fight like this."  
  
The men averted their gaze from the rather attractive young girl suddenly. Fortunately for them she didn't recognize the lust in their gazes.   
  
One of the soldiers snorted in amusement at the scene. "A pretty lady like yourself shouldn't be out on a battlefield like this."  
  
Ranma turned to shout her protest, but she was cut off by a loud voice laced with anger.  
  
"That's no lady."  
  
Everyone turned to look at the Lieutenant in shock. He stepped forward and broke into a run stopping no more than an arms length in front of the girl. "Ranma Saotome! I was hoping I'd meet you again!"  
  
"Hey, that guy looks familiar!" said the girl as she stepped back. The man stopped in front of her and threw his hat to the ground.  
  
"Tell me! Why did you run out on our man to man fight?!" snapped the man angrily.  
  
"Hey! You're Ryoga Hibiki! How's it going man?" said the girl cheerfully.  
  
"How's it going? My life has been hell! We're in the middle of a war in case you didn't notice!" snapped the man bitterly as he reached down and picked up his hat. He straightened it back onto his head and glared at her. "Just be glad I had more important things to worry about rather than hunting you down after the Juban massacre." He turned and walked stiffly back to the transport. "Come on, we've got to report in."  
  
The soldiers followed behind with confused and uncertain looks on their faces.  
  
"You know that guy? What's up his ass?" said Toroya dumbly. "Is he an old boyfriend or something?"  
  
"No he isn't," snapped Ranma in retort. She looked up as the transport flew away and sighed. "He can't possibly still be mad about that can he?" she muttered to herself as she reshouldered the rifle and turned to walk back to the complex with the remains of the security force.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Siore growled angrily as she was cleared to land on the lunar base. She cursed under her breath as she neared the landing pad and saw her waiting for her there. The unit came to a stop and shut down, she opened the hatch and climbed out staring Fei down as the redhead stood with her arms crossed with a smirk on her face.  
  
"Shut up! I'm not in the mood!"  
  
"Well, aren't we touchy? I was only going to ask which of those little girls you managed to kill?"   
  
Siore snarled and lashed her arm out at the woman missing her face by no more than a centimeter. Fei stood calmly and sighed.  
  
"With that much damage don't tell me you failed."  
  
"I completed my mission and moved those little bitches away from the complex! Don't get testy with me, your unit was in no better condition as I recall, and you only had to face one little girl."  
  
Fei paused and frowned at the comment. "I suppose you're right. We really will have to do something about them."  
  
"Shut up Fei," snorted Siore as she pushed by her.  
  
"Your analysis?" said a small deep voice from the redhead's watch.  
  
"She's learning. She may be stubborn, but she followed my instructions this time. Not that it did much good."  
  
"Keep me informed."  
  
"Yes Admiral. For the Empire."  
  
"Yes, for the Empire indeed."  
  
--------------------------------------  
  
Kurume sat down in front of the television and relaxed. "Man that was hell!"  
  
Lou smiled at her roommate as she walked into the room toweling off her hair lazily. "I'll say, these attacks never get any better."  
  
"Well, the world is watching you know!" quipped the girl with a small giggle. She turned and noticed her friend was holding a letter in her hand. "Hey, what's that? You never get mail."  
  
The woman smiled as she sat down next to her and opened it slowly. "Just a letter from home. Mom likes to keep in touch about twice a year or so."  
  
Kurume nodded and giggled. "She's probably gonna ask if you've found a man yet or something!"  
  
"You know my mother?" quipped Lou as she looked over the message and seemed to freeze in place. The smile fell from her lips suddenly and she started to shake.  
  
The other girl jumped up immediately in concern. "Oh, is it bad news?"  
  
"No, it's worse," said the girl through her tears. She threw the letter onto the table and rushed into her room.   
  
"Lou!" cried Kurume as she started to go after her. She paused and looked down at the letter for a moment.  
  
"Lou Xian, Joketsuko destroyed, family dead. Contact us. Cologne."  
  
"Oh god!" gasped the woman in shock as she rushed into her friend's room. "Lou!"   
  
She found something completely unexpected. Lou was not crying on her bed. The woman was staring firmly into a mirror with tears flowing down her face dressed in Chinese clothes with an armored breastplate covering her chest. She was tying her hair up into buns on the top of her head and simply stared forward with a fierce gaze that she had never seen in the woman before.   
  
"Lou?"  
  
The woman did not acknowledge her friend. She simply stared forward and spoke in Chinese. "For the honor of Joketsuko mother. You shall be avenged." She pushed by her friend and walked out of the apartment and into the halls of the complex.  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: Aftermath.  
  
Just one thing. Before anyone says anything about Ryoga being to young for the military. Please bear in mind that there is a global conflict at the moment that has been going on for more than twenty years. Things have gotten a bit more desperate over time and as with wars of the past; anyone who wants to get into the military bad enough can. I've given Ryoga the lowest rank an officer can have also, so it's not like he's commanding an army.  
  
P.S. I don't know much about the Japanese military [Self-Defense Force], so I'm using the US military system in places where I need to. I probably won't go too much into detail about it anyway.  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
Url: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/  



	9. Default Chapter Title

Ranma Xero  
  
Part 8  
  
Aftermath  
  
Ranma stood before his father and Soun Tendo with his head hung low. Both men were scowling at him angrily from behind the desk in Soun's office. Genma stood beside his friend as the man shuffled through papers and waved them at Ranma angrily.  
  
"Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused?" he snapped.  
  
"I ain't gonna sit and do nothing," said the boy quietly.  
  
"Ranma! You could have been killed out there! This isn't China!" snapped Genma bitterly.  
  
Soun looked up at him with a confused look and quickly diverted his attention back to the boy standing before them. "We can't have you going out and risking your life this way boy."  
  
"Why not? Akane's doing it," said the boy in retort.  
  
"That's different!" snapped Soun.  
  
"How?" replied the boy calmly.  
  
"We have no choice, you know as well as I do that only young girls can pilot those things. It cannot be helped," said Soun with a heavy sigh.  
  
"I'm no stranger to combat Mr. Tendo," replied the boy with his maddening calm yet again.  
  
"I can see that, especially with the way you handled that rifle, but that's not the point son!" snapped the man as he started to loose patience again.  
  
"I will not sit idly," replied the boy as he returned the firm gaze that both men were giving them.  
  
"You've already been barred from the armory. You'll have to sit the next one out this time. I won't have you endangering your life this way. We need you here boy," said Genma as he turned and gazed out the window.  
  
"I didn't get the rifle from the armory," replied the boy.  
  
This took both men by surprise. "Then where?"  
  
"I took it off of one of the wounded men when I went outside. I'll fight them barehanded if I have to."  
  
"You'll do no such thing Ranma!" snapped his father as he jumped across the table and slapped him hard across his face.  
  
Ranma remained still and did not move to return the blow. "I don't care what you say old man. I will fight again. You can't stop me."  
  
"Can't we?" said Soun with a dangerous cool about him suddenly.  
  
"No."  
  
Soun hung his head and turned to gaze outside. He had a tired look on his face. "We'll discuss this later."  
  
Ranma stood silently and walked out of the room.  
  
After the boy had left Soun turned to Genma and frowned. "Where did he learn to handle a weapon like that Saotome?"  
  
"It shames me to say, but we were traveling across China in the middle of a war Tendo. Both of us were armed." Genma sat down in the chair opposite his friend and hung his head. "We saw several battles with the enemy while traveling. We did not become involved, but the cruelty that they showed got to my son. I had to hold him back several times and actually physically carried him away a few times as well. He's seen a bit of combat on the handful of times I couldn't stop him."  
  
"I see," replied the man somberly as he continued to gaze at the city in the distance.  
  
"Tendo, perhaps we should give in a little, give him something to do during the battles?"  
  
"What do you mean Saotome?" said Soun as he looked up at his friend in surprise.  
  
"My son is a very honorable man. A man among men, if we give him some sort of duty, he will perform it without fail."  
  
"Are you thinking of ... ?"  
  
"Have him guard something, something he can't just leave behind," said Genma with a small smile appearing on his face.  
  
"I think I understand. I will have him join the guards who protect the families within the complex," Soun sat back and relaxed somewhat with their new problem seemingly solved.  
  
"That should be enough to sate him," agreed Genma.  
  
The intercom on the desk suddenly chimed and Soun leaned forward. "Yes?"  
  
"Sir, someone is here to speak with you," said the secretary.  
  
"Who?" said the man as he looked at his planner. There were no meetings scheduled.   
  
"Lou Xian, she claims to work in the armory department," said the woman with a slight strain in her voice.  
  
"Send her in," replied the man after a moment of consideration. His eyes almost bugged out of his head at what he saw enter the room. A woman in her mid twenties dressed in what appeared to be battle armor of some kind. She was wearing Chinese clothes and had her hair tied up in buns on top of her head. "Can I help you miss?"  
  
"Mr. Tendo, I have come with a request," said the woman in a very formal tone as she prostrated herself on the ground before him.  
  
The secretary walked in behind her and was shaking with fear. Several security guards were laid out in the waiting room unconscious. "She was very insistent sir."  
  
"I can see that," replied Soun as he stood up and reached into a small drawer behind the desk. "What is this about young lady?"  
  
"Yesterday I received a telegram that my home village in China had been destroyed. A small group of survivors has managed to escape, but they need help badly."  
  
"I don't see what we can do for them," ventured Soun carefully.  
  
Lou Xian continued as if he had not spoken. "This morning, one of the elders contacted me again. This time it was a video communication. I requested that they come here."  
  
"Why?" said Genma dumbly.  
  
"Indeed young lady, this outpost is not equipped to deal with refugees," agreed Soun. "I'm afraid I will have to turn them away. The security risk alone ... " He was cut off as the woman spoke again.  
  
"They are not idle, my people are warriors Mr. Tendo, and they have a unit of their own. It is badly in need of repair, but still functional."  
  
"My dear, we manufacture hundreds of those things. Surely ... "  
  
"You did not manufacture this one Mr. Tendo. It is one of theirs. If we delay, the Chinese Government will find and seize it for their own use."  
  
That shut the man up. He looked at her carefully and sat back down in his chair taking his hand from the drawer where it had been for the entire conversation. "I make no promises, but I will speak with this elder of yours."  
  
"Thank you sir," replied the woman as she stood up and bowed to him. After that she turned away and exited the room.  
  
"We could use a few more men here," said Genma as he looked down at his old friend.  
  
"Another of their units? How did they get it to work? All of the ones we have we had to make ourselves. No human could pilot that thing we found all those years ago."  
  
"What are we going to do about her though?"  
  
"I'm afraid she'll have to be arrested. We cannot overlook her actions here. She will be held for a short time and then released, to satisfy the old men." Soun turned towards the window again and watched the city.  
  
"She'll lose her job of course."  
  
"I'm afraid so," agreed Tendo. "If what she says is true, I may find it in my heart to allow them to stay. Especially if they have someone who can pilot the alien units."  
  
"It will remain sealed of course?"  
  
"I have no intention of risking anything on this. They could be spies of the enemy."  
  
"They'll be found out quickly. We have ways of detecting their kind," said Genma sagely.  
  
"We'll find out soon enough," said Soun calmly. "We'll get the details from her while she's detained."  
  
"Perhaps we don't need to allow them to stay? After all, once they bring the unit to us ... " Genma didn't finish.   
  
Soun nodded and hung his head. "I don't see the need for that yet. After all, she said they had a pilot. There is no need to train a new one if someone already knows how to operate the machine. I shall decide our course of action after I speak with this village elder of hers. However, I will not allow an opportunity like this to slip by, we will take the unit by force if need be."  
  
"A wise decision Tendo," said Genma with a smirk on his face.  
  
Soun looked up at the clock on his wall and smiled. "Ah, it's almost time. I have to go meet with the Major."  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
Akane fell to her knees and gasped for breath. "How many times are we going to do this today?" Kodachi stood next to her in about the same condition and merely gasped wordlessly.  
  
"Until you get it right," replied Ranma with a small shrug.  
  
"I already know the kata by heart!" snapped the girl bitterly as she stood up and wiped her brow.  
  
"Then why did you forget it on the battlefield?"  
  
"What?" said the girl in shock.  
  
"I saw you out there, running around like a gorilla or something. You forgot everything me and pop taught you! You're lucky you didn't die! If she hadn't been there you would have!" snapped the boy as he suddenly became angry.  
  
Both girls jumped back at the outburst and simply stared at him.  
  
"What do you know about that? It's completely different out there!" cried Akane defensively.  
  
"No! It isn't!" snapped the boy as he rushed up to her face and shifted into his female form suddenly. "You think you're the only one who's been in a fight? I know exactly what it's like on the battlefield! You're getting sloppy and it's going to get you killed!"  
  
"Jerk!" screamed the girl as she punched him across the room.  
  
Ranma jumped up and rushed forward with an angry scowl on her face. She lashed out in a punch and stopped just in front of her nose. "You're too slow, you let your anger get the best of you, and you're uncute."  
  
"What did you say?" she cried in retort.  
  
"I didn't stutter," replied the redhead as she jumped back from another clumsy strike.  
  
Akane's vision went red and she charged forward like an angry bull. Ranma merely dodged around her blows and tagged her several times with light punches.  
  
"What are you doing? Fight me damn it!" screamed the girl in rage.  
  
The redhead kicked out low and swept her feet from under her sending her to the floor face first. Akane pushed herself up and blinked. "Look at yourself! You call that martial arts? You're nothing but a brawler," said Ranma as she put her foot on her back and forced her back to the ground. "Why should I bother training you? As soon as you lose your temper you forget all of it anyway."  
  
Akane started to cry where she lay and simply gave up her struggle to rise, but she was severely weakened by her training. "Why? Why do you have to be such an insensitive jerk?"  
  
"Do you think your enemy is going to ask you if you had a good day or somethin? Jeez, Akane, get real! They're gonna do anything they can to screw you up, and they've done a pretty good job of it so far." Ranma's features softened somewhat and he helped her back to her feet. "Akane, this anger is going to get you killed. You've got to learn to control yourself."  
  
The girl looked up at him and blushed as he smiled at her and walked her back to her spot next to Kodachi. The other girl had been watching the whole scene rather passively.  
  
"Now, we're going to do it again," said the boy as he stepped back and took up the first stance of the kata.  
  
Both girls looked at him and groaned.  
  
----------------------------------  
  
"Our units are severely outclassed by these things they keep sending down. We haven't been able to repel a single attack. The only thing we use the damn things for is heavy lifting." A gruff looking man walked next to Soun Tendo dressed in a pressed and neat military uniform. "The General was supposed to come down for this next week, but since I'm here anyway, we just decided to get it out of the way now. Tendo, this had better be good."  
  
"I'm sure we are glad to accommodate your busy schedule Major," replied Soun with a small diplomatic smile. "It's the least we can do after you helped us repel those invaders."  
  
"Yes I appreciate the effort, and we are thankful for your hospitality. My men are enjoying their stay here," said the man honestly.  
  
"Ah, here we are," Soun stopped before a large hangar on one of the lower levels of the complex. They passed by the guards and entered the room. A large drab green painted robot, about half the size of the mechs Akane and Kodach piloted loomed over them.   
  
"Impressive Tendo. How does it perform?"  
  
"As you can see it is still rather bulky. We are able to reproduce much more of their technology now though. Any human, not just young girls can pilot these, as with the units you use now. However, these are much more maneuverable and much more agile," said Soun as he pointed towards the massive form standing over them.   
  
It was heavily armored and resembled an upright walking tanks, with arms and a head that looked rather like a motorcycle helmet with antenna protruding from it.  
  
"What kind of firepower can it handle?" asked the man calmly as he walked up and inspected it up close.  
  
"A standard blast cannon is attached to the right arm, it also has a chain gun and missile ports inside the right and left breastplates."  
  
"That doesn't sound too much better than what we have now Tendo," commented the Major.  
  
"There is still much we don't understand about their technology. We are able to duplicate it, but some systems require something we haven't been able to figure out yet. That is why only young girls are able to pilot the more advanced models we use here. We still aren't sure why."  
  
"So, we're still technologically inferior are we?"  
  
"That cannot be helped," said Soun with a sigh.  
  
"Still, it is better than what we have now," said the man as he turned away from it and started walking towards the doors again.  
  
"Yes, but we only have a few hundred of these models made at the moment, and this is the only one we have on sight. The rest are still at the Nagasaki plant."  
  
"The General was pleased with the prototype demonstration."  
  
"Yes, that was the impression he gave me Major."  
  
"I'll be going now, there is something I want to speak with you about later Tendo."  
  
"I'm sure we'll speak again then."  
  
--------------------------------------------  
  
"So, playing around with women Saotome?" Ryoga Hibiki was leaning against the wall outside the training hall as Ranma emerged from the room with a towel across his shoulders.  
  
"What of it?" said the boy as he paused and looked at him.  
  
"Nothing, I just think it's amusing that you spend so much time around your own gender these days."  
  
"What's this about Hibiki?" said Ranma.  
  
"Why did you run out on our fight Saotome?" snapped the man bitterly.  
  
"I waited three days for you to show up."  
  
"And when I arrived on the fourth day, you had already run away!"  
  
"Ryoga, why did it take you four days to get there? It was five hundred feet from your house."  
  
"You shut up! I suffered to meet up with you, and when I arrived on the fourth day, you were gone. Our homes were burned to the ground, and there was nothing but death to come home to."  
  
"Don't tell me about that. I was there," said Ranma firmly. "If you recall, I was still waiting for you in that lot when they came. I figured you were dead Ryoga."  
  
The boy turned his head away and laughed humorlessly. "I guess we both have our own problems to deal with, no time for childish quarrels."  
  
"Right," said Ranma as he turned away.  
  
"That still doesn't excuse what you did though."  
  
"So, you want to finish it now? The dojo is right there," said Ranma without turning to face him.  
  
"Sorry, but some other time Saotome. I'll get in more trouble than it's worth at the moment. Besides, you're in no condition to fight me right now. I'll catch you some other time little girl."  
  
"I'll see you later Ryoga," said Ranma as he started walking again.  
  
"Right," said the boy as he turned and wandered in a random direction. "Damn, I still don't know where the bathroom is!"  
  
-----------------------------------------------  
  
Soun stared at the withered figure on the screen in front of him and frowned. "So, you'll be arriving tomorrow? How will you be transporting the unit?"  
  
"We have a ship," said the old woman calmly.  
  
"There are about twenty five of you?"  
  
"That is correct."  
  
"Where shall we meet you then?"  
  
"There is no need. We have a truck to transport the unit, we will come to your complex and meet there."   
  
Soun frowned, he could tell the old woman was suspicious of him, but there was also a bit of desperation in her voice.  
  
"I'll prepare some rooms here," he said calmly.  
  
"There will be no need. We will not be staying with you. I only wish to get rid of this damnable thing, and the Chinese government has not exactly kept a good relationship with us. If we were to approach them now they would destroy us in our weakened state. That is why we come to your country."  
  
"It's an awfully long trip just to unload an unwanted piece of equipment," commented Soun.  
  
"Our tribe has been destroyed Tendo, we will go where we feel we are safe. The thing that Shampoo fought may return to finish her. We would be completely wiped out if we chose to stay in our homeland."  
  
"This Shampoo, she is your pilot?" Soun leaned forward with a sudden interest.  
  
"Yes, she is. That is another reason we come to you. She wishes to continue to fight, and avenge the Joketsuko tribe. The Chinese would merely take the beast away from us and use it for their own purposes. You were the only option we had where there was a chance she could continue her battle."  
  
"I see," said Soun calmly.  
  
"I shall see you tomorrow. Know this Tendo, we are entrusting you with our future. Do not take this lightly."  
  
"Indeed."  
  
-------------------------------  
  
Outside the complex a thunderstorm blew in the darkness. An expensive looking limousine rolled up to the gate of the complex and passed by the security guard. It pulled up the doors and stopped. A man emerged from the driver's seat and rushed around to open the back door. A figure emerged from the back in a heavy cloak that obscured its face and body from view. It paused and looked up at the building before walking to the doors.  
  
"Genma, it has been a while," said a masculine voice.  
  
Genma paused as he allowed the man to enter and began to walk with him. "It has been a while hasn't it?"  
  
"He is here?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I will speak with him later; I must say it is a surprise to see you here."  
  
"We arrived about three weeks ago," said Genma.  
  
"Yes, I have come to see Tendo."  
  
"He's in his office."  
  
The man stepped into the elevator and Genma stopped just outside the doors. "I shall see you again soon?"  
  
"Of course, we have a lot to catch up on, Genma," The man raised his head up and smiled. Genma could barely make out his features beneath the cloak, but two golden colored eyes stared back at him. The doors closed and he turned away with a small shiver running down his spine.  
  
TBC...  
  
Next Time: The unwanted residents.  
  
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
Url: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/  
  



	10. Default Chapter Title

Ranma: Xero  
  
Part 9  
  
The Unwanted Residents  
  
  
In the shadows of the bridge the admiral smiled to himself as he watched the screen in the arm of his chair. "Are you certain?"  
  
"Of course, I wouldn't have called this in if I wasn't," replied the man displayed on the screen. He had long white hair and a small scar that ran across his right cheek. He spoke with a dangerous calm and smirked at his superior.  
  
"Well, this is a bit of a surprise isn't it?" The admiral sipped at his drink lazily and relaxed in his chair.  
  
"What are your orders?"  
  
"Destroy it."  
  
"Of course."  
  
The screen went black again leaving the man in silence. He chuckled to himself and stared at the endless sea of stars that filled the screen that took up the front wall of the room. "I always liked him. So informal and to the point."   
  
  
---------------  
  
Ranma sat across from his father in their room and frowned. Both of them were sitting in a lotus position and were meditating on the day's events. The man had been strangely silent recently. "Hey Pop, what's up? You've been quiet today."  
  
"Just thinking boy," replied the man halfheartedly.  
  
"Yeah, right," muttered the boy as he shifted into his female form again.  
  
"Is it really bothering you that much boy?" snorted the man.  
  
"No," lied Ranma. He had been having the strangest feeling for most of that day. It wasn't unpleasant, but he knew something was going to happen very soon.   
  
"I want you to go and see your fiancee for a little while Ranma," said the elder Saotome suddenly.  
  
"Do I got too?" grumbled the boy.  
  
"No, but I need to be alone for a while. You might as well get to know her. I don't care where you go, just don't spend the night here."  
  
Ranma blinked in surprise, it wasn't like his father to say something like that to him at all. He stood up silently and walked out of the room.  
  
------------------  
  
"Tendo, what the hell is he doing here?" snapped the Major angrily as he pointed at the cloaked figure seated across from him.  
  
The man smiled and removed his hood revealing a light blue complexion and short cut, dark red hair. "I am one of the founders of this institution."  
  
"I don't like this," grumbled the soldier angrily as he settled back into his seat.  
  
"Regardless of that, it is my prerogative," said Soun as he ended the conversation. "He is a trusted ally, but not too trusted."  
  
The blue skinned smirked at this and said nothing. "It has been a while since the three of us have been together Tendo."  
  
"Three?" said the other man as he sat up again.  
  
"Yes, my old friend Saotome is here as well. You met him earlier. He was one of the original founders of 'Project Xero'. His son is engaged to my daughter," said Soun with a small amount of pride in his voice.  
  
The Major noticed something in the alien's eyes for a moment and pushed the matter aside for the moment.  
  
The doors opened and Nabiki and Akane walked into the room. Nabiki had a folder tucked under her arm and a smirk on her lips as she walked up. Her face fell as she noticed the alien in the room.  
  
Akane screamed in shock and reached behind her back. She pulled a handgun from behind her waist and jumped back as she trained it on the man.   
  
"Akane no!" cried Soun in alarm.   
  
  
-------------------  
  
Cologne stood on the docks of Tokyo and frowned. "We're behind schedule."  
  
Shampoo walked up to her and nodded. "We're finished loading now. We can leave anytime."  
  
The old woman nodded and looked at the truck. The unit was lying on its back on top of a flat bed trailer. It was covered in a dirty brown tarp that masked its presence relatively well.  
  
"We'd better get moving, I'd like to get there while we still have the cover of darkness to move under."  
  
Shampoo nodded as she climbed into the passenger door with another, slightly older Amazon woman.   
  
Cologne turned to face the rest of the women, they had gathered in a group around a truck that looked like an older military transport. "Let's not take our time. Get in and we'll head towards the complex Lou Xian told us about. Quickly, we have no time to waste."  
  
The girls climbed aboard the truck and the journey began in relative silence.  
  
-------------------  
  
Akane stared at the firearm in shock as she squeezed the trigger and no report sounded. Ranma stood beside her with the top half of her gun in his hand. He looked at her wordlessly and shook his head.  
  
She stepped back away from him in horror. "You're a spy?"  
  
"This isn't the time to shoot first and ask questions later Akane," replied the boy simply.  
  
"I wasn't expecting to see you here Ranma," said Soun diplomatically as he sat down again.  
  
"Pop said he needed to be alone, and I don't have anything better to do," replied the boy with a shrug.  
  
"I suppose there is no harm in you being here," replied the man simply as he turned towards the other two men.  
  
The alien nodded towards Ranma, he had remained completely calm through the whole ordeal. The Major grunted in disgust and removed his hand from the firearm from his side as he sat back down again as well. "You're getting soft Tendo."  
  
"After tonight this information won't do anyone any good. Give your report daughter."  
  
Nabiki shook off her stupor and coughed into her hand. "Yes, well ... "  
  
"You have nothing to fear from me Nabiki Tendo," said the alien man with a small chuckle of amusement. "It has been a while since I've been here. I remember the both of you from when you were just bundles in your mother's arms."  
  
This caught both girls by surprise and Nabiki faltered again before continuing as if nothing had happened.  
  
"The Amazons have been busy. They bought up a building in the business section of Japan a few days ago. They also purchased an apartment complex in the Juban district. I doubt they'll want to stay with us here."  
  
"That's no surprise, the old woman I spoke with said something along those lines," agreed Soun.  
  
"It seems they just want to dump it off on us," commented the Major.  
  
"It seems that way, Japanese Military intelligence monitored a large ship that docked this evening in Tokyo Bay. It isn't on any scheduled shipping charts. They've been left alone. Thanks to a little intervention by our people. We had to stop Tokyo PD from interfering, they thought it was a drug ship or something. They appear to be loading the unit onto a truck as we speak."  
  
"They should be here in a few hours then," commented Soun with a small nod. "The woman, Lou Xian, has been released. She is currently staying in the complex, but has been placed on suspension for the time being."  
  
"Feel like going for a ride Tendo?" said the Major suddenly.  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"This would be a prime opportunity to test out the new military unit," said the man with a small frown.  
  
"Why? They're giving it to us. There is no need to take it from them," said Soun as he creased his brow in slight disgust.  
  
"I meant to make sure it gets here," countered the man.  
  
"It would be best to assume that communications too and from this complex are monitored," agreed the alien calmly.  
  
"I see, how long would it take to assemble a team?"  
  
"My men are on standby Tendo," said the Major.  
  
"It shouldn't take much time to get the unit on line. My daughter can pilot it," agreed Soun.  
  
"I'd rather have one of my men do it," said the other man calmly.  
  
"They haven't been trained," pointed out the alien.  
  
"I'm sure at least one of them has combat time in one of the older models," said the man with a shrug. "Most units are a mix and match bunch with the war and all. The armored division got cut up pretty badly since the units we have were so inferior. I've probably got three or four men at least who can do it."  
  
"I don't see any reason why not. The unit is fully operational," said Soun as he rested his chin in his hands.  
  
"I'd like to go," said Ranma as he stood from where he had been leaning against the wall.  
  
Soun stared at him for a moment. The chance of confrontation on this mission was minimal, and the pair could use a little time together away from the complex. He smiled to himself. "Very well. Akane will accompany you."  
  
"What? Why do I have to go?" snapped the girl indignantly.  
  
"Accept your fate sister," said Nabiki in a mock comforting voice.  
  
The younger girl scowled and crossed her arms. "Fine."  
  
"I don't like it," said the Major.  
  
"Some of my security force will accompany your men as well. I don't trust you completely either Major."  
  
The man looked at Soun in shock. "Tendo ... "  
  
"I'm sorry old friend, I am well aware that our government would love to get their hands on a unit for study themselves. This is not to be taken lightly. I have shared my technology with you completely, but some of our politicians aren't satisfied with that. You do understand?"  
  
Nabiki raised her eyebrow at this statement. "They've managed to restrain themselves so far."  
  
"All it takes is for this information to hit the right ears Nabiki. I'm sure you know that," said Soun calmly.  
  
"We could really use that extra pilot," said Nabiki with a sigh as she changed the subject.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" said Akane defensively.  
  
"These attacks are growing more and more dangerous," agreed Soun as he ignored his youngest.  
  
Ranma snorted and looked at Akane. "Maybe they all think you're incompetent?"   
  
He was promptly kicked in the face. The others in the room seemed to ignore them as they continued the meeting.  
  
The man smirked back at him and nodded. "Yes, that's why I'm leaving some of my men here after we pull out."  
  
Soun blinked at this. "Pardon?"  
  
"We're transporting five of the Nagasaki units to this location. I'm leaving a battalion of men here for security reasons. We can't keep coming here and pulling your ass out of the fire Tendo. The whole world is at war; we have other obligations. Lieutenant Hibiki and his men will remain behind to help guard this location."  
  
"And keep an eye on things for some of the higher ups," finished Nabiki coolly.  
  
"I'm not going to try and hide that fact, but you need a military presence here Tendo. I'm sorry."  
  
"We'll discuss this later. I will comply, but there are a few things we need to iron out first. There are several top secret operations on these premises."  
  
The Major nodded in agreement and sat back in his chair. It was fairly obvious he was expecting more resistance. Nabiki let out a small growl that told that she agreed with him.  
  
------------------  
  
"There's only one public road that leads here from Tokyo. This is the way they'll come. They seem to be trying to avoid attracting attention, this would be the way to go if that's what they want," said a nameless Sergeant as he pointed out a small road on a map of the area. A mixture of Soldiers and Soun's personal security guards stood around him. "We'll probably meet them pretty close to the city. Don't alarm them, we don't want to show any hostile attention towards them."  
  
"A hundred men and a walking tank and we don't want to show any hostility?" commented one of the men with a laugh.  
  
"Stow that, we've got out orders. No firing of any kind unless we're engaged," said Ryoga as he walked up to the map.   
  
Ranma snorted. "You aren't leading this expedition are you?"  
  
"Shut up Saotome," snarled the boy as he whirled around and put his face up in his old rival's. "I may have been ordered to take you along, but I don't have to take this crap from you."  
  
Ranma glanced around and noticed that a large group of men backed up his threat. "Whatever. Just remember I'll be watching you also." He turned away and slung the rifle he had been issued over his shoulder.   
  
Akane watched him go and frowned. "Jerk."  
  
"You said it," commented one of Ryoga's men.  
  
"Ignore him, he isn't worth our time," said the boy as he waved his arm and motioned for them to move out.   
  
The sergeants present began to scream at their men as they loaded up onto the transports that would carry them to meet the Amazons.   
  
Ryoga turned towards Akane and smiled. "Come on. You and the she-male have to ride with me."  
  
"You've known Ranma for a while?"  
  
Ryoga paused at the question and shrugged. "You could say that."  
  
Akane climbed up into the troop transport with Ryoga in the driver side door and slid over to the passenger seat. She noticed Ranma was already seated by the door.  
  
"Let's just go," grumbled the pigtailed boy.  
  
"You volunteered for this you know," snorted Akane.  
  
"That was before I knew that he'd be coming," commented Ranma as he jerked his thumb at Ryoga.  
  
The boy ignored him and started the engine on the vehicle.  
  
---------------------  
  
"This is so damn cool!" cried the pilot from the loudspeakers as the massive military unit posed dramatically.  
  
"Azari! Quit fooling around in there!" snapped one of the sergeants as he stood at the base of the thing's feet and scowled. He turned away and shook his head as the thing pointed its arm and shooting sounds echoed from the loudspeakers. "Idiot."  
  
"Azari, we're leaving now," said a mildly amused voice over the radio inside the unit.  
  
Corporal Hideki Azari jerked in surprise as he looked over and saw the convoy pulling away down the darkened street. "Hey! Wait up!"  
  
"The Army waits for no man!" quipped the voice cheerfully.  
  
"Whatever happened to not leaving men behind!" retorted the frustrated pilot.  
  
"Whatever, I don't see why you're so happy about this. You're the only one who has to march there," commented the radio operator.  
  
"Shut up Ikari!"  
  
"Keep talking that way and I'll ask the Lieutenant to speed up a bit to make sure we make it on time."  
  
"You wouldn't dare!" snapped Azari.  
  
"I can and I will. Keep it up Azari." Sounds of laughter could be heard in the background behind the man.  
  
"I'll demolish you all with my mighty Gekkigen Punch!" cried Azari.  
  
"Man, now I know why the transferred you out of the Armored division," quipped the radio operator.  
  
Azari felt the veins popping on his forehead. "That does it! I'm gonna squash him!"  
  
"Before you threaten your communications specialist, make sure your radio is off Azari," said a new voice over the radio.  
  
The pilot felt a blush rush into his face as he caught up with his unit. "Yes sir."  
  
"Hibiki out."  
  
The radio roared with laughter and Azari's face only flushed more.  
  
---------------  
  
Ryoga smirked as he put the receiver down. Akane was giggling to herself and Ranma merely scowled distastefully at the scene.  
  
"I suppose it's kind of like high school," said the girl with a small chuckle as her laughter died down.  
  
"I suppose, but in high school, all your friends make it home."  
  
Akane's smile fell slightly at this.  
  
Ranma looked away, he felt oddly disappointed for some reason.  
  
-------------------  
  
"I see lights up ahead." Shampoo turned towards the driver and frowned.  
  
"I see them, it's probably just another convoy from the complex. This is a public road, they shouldn't bother us."  
  
"Then what is that behind them?" Shampoo pointed towards several moving red lights that trailed behind the line of headlights they could see in the distance.  
  
The Amazon driving picked up the radio and spoke into the receiver. "Honored elder. We've spotted something up ahead."  
  
Static filled the receiver and eventually a broken voice replied. "We've seen it, continue forward. Whoever it is, we can't run now."  
  
Both Amazon girls nodded silently at each other and reached for their weapons. The blades probably wouldn't help them much, but they weren't about to go down without a fight.  
  
---------------------  
  
"Stop steering us off the road lost boy!" snapped Ranma as he pushed on the steering wheel again correcting Ryoga's mistake yet again.  
  
"Will you quit that!" snapped the soldier.  
  
"Both of you quit fighting! You could at least try and be civil!" snapped Akane from between them.  
  
"It's dark and I can't see the road!" snapped Ryoga at Ranma ignoring her protests.  
  
"That's what the headlights are for moron!"  
  
"Would you rather get out and walk?"  
  
"At least I'd make it there!"  
  
"Ranma! Prepare to die!" cried Ryoga as he lunged for the boy's throat.  
  
Akane screeched in alarm and grabbed the wheel from under the Lieutenant's body.  
  
"Quit that you jerk! You're going to get us all killed!" cried Ranma.  
  
"At least you'll die with me Saotome!"  
  
"What about all those guys behind us?" retorted Ranma angrily.  
  
That seemed to work a little. Ryoga snarled in frustration and grabbed the wheel again. Akane simply sat shaking with fear in between them and couldn't speak.  
  
"I told you we should have gotten the sergeant to drive us," commented someone from the back.  
  
Ryoga blushed slightly and steadied the wheel a little more, only to have Ranma forcibly correct him again. He said nothing and started to slow down.  
  
------------------------  
  
"Great Grandmother, they've stopped ... and it appears that there are people getting sick out of the back end of the one in front." Shampoo wasn't sure what to make of the wildly moving vehicle. It stopped in front of them and a man climbed out of the driver's seat waving his arms at their convoy.  
  
"Should we see what they want?" said the Amazon girl driving into the receiver.  
  
"We don't have much choice, they're blocking the road," said Cologne from the radio. "I'll go speak with them, just be ready."  
  
-----------------  
  
Ryoga paused and stared at the withered mummy that hopped out to meet him on the end of her staff. "Uh, hi."  
  
"What do you want?" snapped the woman.  
  
"We've been ordered to escort you the rest of the way," said Ranma as he walked up behind the confused Ryoga.  
  
"We can take care of ourselves thank you," snorted Cologne.  
  
"The country ahead of us is open, and has a few bottlenecks. We aren't sure if they monitor our communications or not," said Akane as she walked up behind the pair.  
  
"I see," Cologne nodded at this. It did make sense that they'd send an escort through this area, but she preferred to keep her advantage over them for the moment if possible. Finally she sighed. "I suppose there is nothing that can be done about it for the moment." She turned towards the lead truck and motioned for Shampoo to join them.  
  
The girl hopped out and walked up to the Japanese and her great grandmother. "What is it?" she said in Chinese.  
  
"Play along," said the old woman in the same language, she then switched to Japanese. "I want you inside the giant and ready. We don't know if we can trust these men."  
  
Shampoo nodded and walked towards the covered unit. She climbed onto the back of the vehicle and uncovered the chest area of the robot. After a moment she opened the chest and climbed inside. She didn't understand what was going on, but knew better than to argue with the old woman.   
  
"All right then, let's go," Ryoga seemed to almost completely ignore the conversation and walked back.  
  
Akane looked at the truck again and then back at Ranma. She started walking and the pigtailed boy seemed to follow her in confusion.   
  
"Hey! Where are you going?"  
  
"I'm riding with him." She pointed to the truck behind the first and stuck out her tongue.  
  
Ranma wasn't sure what to say and stood silently for a moment.  
  
"Saotome! Are you just going to stand there all night?" snapped Ryoga from the window.   
  
"All right! Jeez you jerk!"  
  
----------------------  
  
"I wonder why she didn't want to ride with us again?" commented Ryoga as he drove back towards the complex again. Ranma was once again correcting his turns, but he was met with minimal resistance this time. It seemed that Hibiki was used to someone helping him drive.  
  
"Gee, I don't know," muttered Ranma as he rolled his eyes.  
  
"Was that sarcasm I heard?" snorted Ryoga.  
  
"Maybe," commented Ranma.  
  
"Don't start that again sir! Please! My stomach can't take anymore!" whined one of the men in the back.  
  
"You stay out of this!" snarled Ryoga.  
  
"Yes sir," grumbled the man. Ryoga reached behind his head and closed the sliding window.  
  
He was about to start speaking again when he noticed Ranma was glancing into the mirror at the vehicles behind him with an odd look on his face. He shrugged it off and continued to drive in silence.  
  
"When she smiled, she was kind of cute ... " murmured Ranma to himself.  
  
-------------------  
  
In the darkness near the side of the road the sound of machinery starting up broke the silence. A large shadow turned to see headlights ahead of it on the road moving closer.   
  
Inside the cockpit of the massive metal form a woman with long white hair smiled to herself as the glow of the various displays lit up her features in a dim blue light. She fingered the scar on her face and watched the lights with interest. "I cannot let you pass."  
  
The thing moved into the middle of the road, on each side of it were small hills that the street winded through leaving an effective natural trap. It raised its arm and two wing-like protrusions on either side of the right forearm slid forward and closed together over its hand forming a wide blade.  
  
-------------  
  
Ryoga slammed on the breaks and gaped at the thing standing before them. It was a huge gray tower of metal that stood almost twice as tall as the accompanying military unit. It was sleek and the curves on its body were oddly angled.  
  
"Takamura! Where the hell did this thing come from?" he screamed into the radio.  
  
"I'm not getting anything on radar sir! What thing?" said an unfamiliar man.  
  
"Oh shit," said Ranma as he opened his door and scrambled out as the thing lifted its foot and started to move towards them.  
  
"Azari! Get your ass up here!" roared Ryoga into the receiver as he followed him.  
  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: Family ties.  
  
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
Url: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/  



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